England Rugby League World Cup:As England Rugby League prepares for its biggest event yet, the World Cup, it’s important to remember that no matter who you are rooting for, everyone has their own story. From humble beginnings in regional leagues to achieving international glory, read about the journey of some of the game’s biggest stars in this blog post. From Danny Ward to Zak Hardaker, take a look at the England players who will be wearing the red rose in Moscow this year.
The England Rugby League World Cup
England is one of the most successful rugby league nations in the world. They have won the Rugby League World Cup on four occasions, which is more than any other nation. This year’s world cup is their fifth appearance and they are looking to add another title to their trophy cabinet.
The England rugby league team features players from both the National Rugby League (NRL) and Super League, which are two of the top professional leagues in Australia and England. The team is made up of players from different parts of England and each region has a strong representation on the national side.
England kicked off their campaign at home against Wales, who were already eliminated from qualifying for the knockout stages. They then went on to beat Fiji, who are considered one of the weakest teams in World Cup competition. Their next match was against Scotland, who proved to be too strong for England and they lost 26-6. In their final group stage game, they faced Samoa, who were also undefeated going into the match but fell 34-6 to booking their place in the knockout stages.
In the knockout stages, England faced Papua New Guinea first and barely scraped by with a 16-12 victory thanks to a late penalty goal from Tom Burgess. Next up was Tonga and this was much closer as both teams had chances to win throughout the whole match but it ended in a 23-17 victory for England thanks to some late tries from Jack Wilshere and Ryan Halliday. They
The Groups
England Rugby League World Cup
The Groups
England has been drawn in Group A alongside Australia, New Zealand and France. The group is one of the most competitive with all four countries boasting world-class players. England have been drawn in a tough pool and will need to perform well if they want to make it out of the group stages.
Australia are one of the favourites to win this tournament, with their strong roster including Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk. The Kangaroos have won the past two tournaments and will be looking to retain their title this time around. New Zealand are also a formidable side, having won the 2014 and 2016 tournaments. They boast some of the best players in world rugby league, including Kieran Foran, Issac Luke and Shaun Johnson. France are also a threat, having finished second in the European Championship last year. They have players like Elia Viviani, Remi Casty and Paul Gallen who are sure to give England a stern challenge in Group A.
England’s chances of making it out of Group A depend on how they perform against Australia, New Zealand and France. If England can win two out of three matches then they would be guaranteed to progress to the next stage but anything less would see them finish bottom of their group which would severely damage their chances of qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The Matches
England Rugby League World Cup
In October 2017, England’s representatives took to the field in Australia for the Rugby League World Cup. The tournament saw the home nation make it all the way to the final, but they would ultimately be beaten by Australia. Despite this disappointment, the team was lauded as one of the best ever assembled and their performances will no doubt have boosted morale ahead of next year’s domestic season.
The squad was led by captain Sean O’Loughlin and coached by Wayne Bennett, who is considered one of rugby league’s great innovators. Other notable players included Josh Hodgson, Tom Burgess and Ryan Hall.
England began their campaign with a narrow loss to New Zealand, before bouncing back with a comprehensive win over Fiji. They then faced Tonga in a match that proved to be one of their toughest assignments – they eventually emerged victorious thanks to a late try from Burgess.
Australia were already into the knock-out stages when England came along, but they managed to hold their own against Wales and Uruguay before succumbing to Australia in the final. This success has obviously given new impetus to English rugby league – there is now genuine belief that they could go all the way at next year’s world cup in New Zealand.
The Scorecard
England Rugby League World Cup 2017: Team Analysis
The England Rugby League World Cup 2017 is upon us and the focus for many fans and pundits alike is on who will lift the trophy. With a squad that has been chosen with care, here’s a team analysis of what we can expect from England this year.
England Squad:
1. Michael Oldfield – Tries: 4, Goals: 2, Captain
2. Sitaleki Akauola – Tries: 1, Goals: 1, Captain, Vice-Captain
3. Josh Hodgson – Tries: 3, Goals: 1, Vice-Captain
4. George Burgess – Tries: 2, Goals: 0, Vice-Captain
5. James Graham – Tries: 5, Goals: 1, captain
6. Shaun Kenny-Dowall – Tries: 2, Goals: 0 7. Joel Thompson – Tries :1 , Goals :0 , Captain) 8. Liam Knight (C) – tries :4 goals :2 captian) 9. Danny McGuire – tries :2 goals :0 captian) 10 Dan Sarginson 11 Kyle Eastmond 12 Jake Ball 13 Thomas Leuluai 14 Alex Walmsley 15 Sam Tomkins 16 Jermaine McGillvary 17 Chris Ashton 18 Theo Fages 19 Jayden Hayward 20 Will Herring 21 Catalina Castillejo 22 Jordan Turner 23 Luke Gale 24 Rob Webber 25 Tom
The Highlights
On Sunday, September 10th, England will compete in their first ever Rugby League World Cup. The tournament kicks off with a group stage game against Fiji at Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, and features 16 teams competing for the ultimate prize – the rugby league world cup trophy.
Here are five things to know about the Rugby League World Cup:
1. England is Making Its Rugby League World Cup Debut
England is fielding a team for the first time in its history, making its way to Australia as one of the 16 teams competing for the rugby league world cup trophy. The team has some talented players including Kane Elgey, Jordan Tansey and Sione Mata’utia who have all been standout performers for their clubs this season. If they can make it out of their opening group game against Fiji safely, then England fans can start looking forward to a potential semi-final matchup against either New Zealand or Australia. Either way, it will be an exciting tournament to watch!
2. Rugby league is Uniquely English
Rugby league was originally developed in England in 1895 and it quickly became popular across the UK. Today, rugby league remains one of the most popular sports in England and around the world with millions of fans following its matches on TV and live online broadcasts. The sport features explosive play between two teams of thirteen players playing on a field marked with twenty-two yards long by ten yards wide. Players are typically equipped with hard heads and big tackles
The Post-Match Reaction
Harry Kewell’s final act for Australia was to score the winning goal in their World Cup quarter-final victory over England. Harry Kewell was a Socceroo from 1996-2006, before joining Leeds United as a striker. After his retirement from professional football in 2009, he joined Melbourne Victory and then Sydney FC, where he played until retiring in 2017.
Kewell made his international debut with Australia in 2000 and went on to become one of the most successful players ever for his country. He played at three World Cups (2002, 2006 and 2010), as well as two Confederations Cups (2007 and 2011). He also represented Australia at the Olympic Games twice, earning a silver medal in 2004.
He announced his retirement from international football after the World Cup Quarter Final win over England, stating that it was “time to move on”.
Conclusion
For many Britons, the world cup is a time for celebration and enjoying the home country’s team as they make their way to Australia and New Zealand. For some of us, it can also be a time to reflect on how much our country has changed in recent years. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just tuned into the games for the first time this year, here are 10 things to know about England rugby league’s world cup campaign.