On paper it was the most eagerly anticipated game of the tournament so far as Tonga faced Papua New Guinea in a Group D game, the group of death, in what had been billed as the roughest and toughest encounter of the World Cup so far.
Tonga were big favourites with the bookies having been given a twenty-four point start on the handicap coupon and the side currently ranked second in the world knew that they needed a good start to their campaign against the side ranked fifth.
Both sides were hopeful of progressing from a group which also contains the Cook Islands and Wales and knew that a win tonight would put them well on their way to the knock-out stages. Kristian Woolf could draw on a host of NRL and Super League stars for Tonga, while Stanley Tepend had Leeds Rhinos star Rhyse Martin as his skipper for Papua New Guinea alongside many other familiar names.
On paper it was the most eagerly anticipated game of the tournament so far as Tonga faced Papua New Guinea in a Group D game, the group of death, in what had been billed as the roughest and toughest encounter of the World Cup so far.
Tonga were big favourites with the bookies having been given a twenty-four point start on the handicap coupon and the side currently ranked second in the world knew that they needed a good start to their campaign against the side ranked fifth.
Both sides were hopeful of progressing from a group which also contains the Cook Islands and Wales and knew that a win tonight would put them well on their way to the knock-out stages. Kristian Woolf could draw on a host of NRL and Super League stars for Tonga, while Stanley Tepend had Leeds Rhinos star Rhyse Martin as his skipper for Papua New Guinea alongside many other familiar names.
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PNG v Tonga - a great game of RL - a marvellous contest .
Only marred by a useless Video ref ( Thaler - the blind s**t ) who ruled out a perfectly good PNG try and a referee and linesman who for the first Tongan try, ignore a blatent forward pass , which was so easy to see, as he passed a metre before the 20metre line and it was caught 1 metre the other side. Where do we get these blind helpful**s from ????
Neruda wrote:robbed more by the finishing of their wingers imo
Tbf the lad on the other wing isn’t a winger but they definitely missed Coates and there were a couple of other lads who played in the mid season test who were wingers too.
Still, amazing to see how far they’ve come, a real advert for growth and creating a proper pathway.
With the disallowed PNG try, how can there be no referene to the Tongan player's tackling 'technique' , he's effectively trying to shoulder barge him through the flag with no attempt wrap his arms. Surely it's a try or a penalty try depending on what they decide with the grounding?
Post subject: Heartbreak for Wales As Cook Islands Snatch the Win
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2022 8:31 pm
RLFANS News Hound
International Chairman
Joined: Dec 05 2001 Posts: 0
Heartbreak for Wales As Cook Islands Snatch the Win
After last nights tremendous game between Tonga and Papua New Guinea, the remaining two sides in Group D met at the Leigh Sports Village as Wales took on the Cook Islands as the final fixture of a fabulous opening round.
The Cook Islands were favourites with the bookies and were handicapped by eighteen points on the coupon, despite them being ranked four places below Wales in the IRL rankings. The sides have met on two previous occasions, both having recorded one victory, the last being a win for the Cook Islands in the group stages of the 2013 World Cup after Wales won the previous encounter in the 2000 World Cup by 38-6.
It was a crucial game for both sides and both coaches knew that whoever lost today would effectively be out of the competition, with both sides still having to play both Tonga and Papua New Guinea.
Heartbreak for Wales As Cook Islands Snatch the Win
After last nights tremendous game between Tonga and Papua New Guinea, the remaining two sides in Group D met at the Leigh Sports Village as Wales took on the Cook Islands as the final fixture of a fabulous opening round.
The Cook Islands were favourites with the bookies and were handicapped by eighteen points on the coupon, despite them being ranked four places below Wales in the IRL rankings. The sides have met on two previous occasions, both having recorded one victory, the last being a win for the Cook Islands in the group stages of the 2013 World Cup after Wales won the previous encounter in the 2000 World Cup by 38-6.
It was a crucial game for both sides and both coaches knew that whoever lost today would effectively be out of the competition, with both sides still having to play both Tonga and Papua New Guinea.
RLFANS.COM news items are posted in forums where it is thought that they will be of interest to the readership, all comments made below will also be available for viewing through the front page.
Post subject: Squad announcement: England versus France
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2022 11:13 am
RLFANS News Hound
International Chairman
Joined: Dec 05 2001 Posts: 0
Squad announcement: England versus France
Head coach Shaun Wane has named his 19-man squad for Saturday's Rugby League World Cup Group A clash with France at the University of Bolton Stadium.
As expected, Wane includes all seven players from his 24-strong tournament squad who didn't feature in last Saturday's convincing 60-6 defeat of Samoa in Newcastle. In come Wigan Warriors pair John Bateman and Kai Pearce-Paul, Super League Grand Finalists Joe Batchelor (St Helens) and Mikolaj Oledzki (Leeds Rhinos), Salford Red Devils' Andy Ackers and Marc Sneyd, and England's all-time leading try-scorer Ryan Hall of Hull KR.
READ MORE ON THIS STORY...
Squad announcement: England versus France
Head coach Shaun Wane has named his 19-man squad for Saturday's Rugby League World Cup Group A clash with France at the University of Bolton Stadium.
As expected, Wane includes all seven players from his 24-strong tournament squad who didn't feature in last Saturday's convincing 60-6 defeat of Samoa in Newcastle. In come Wigan Warriors pair John Bateman and Kai Pearce-Paul, Super League Grand Finalists Joe Batchelor (St Helens) and Mikolaj Oledzki (Leeds Rhinos), Salford Red Devils' Andy Ackers and Marc Sneyd, and England's all-time leading try-scorer Ryan Hall of Hull KR.
READ MORE ON THIS STORY...
RLFANS.COM news items are posted in forums where it is thought that they will be of interest to the readership, all comments made below will also be available for viewing through the front page.
Post subject: Australia Demolish Scotland To Make The Quarter Finals
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2022 8:20 pm
RLFANS News Hound
International Chairman
Joined: Dec 05 2001 Posts: 0
Australia Demolish Scotland To Make The Quarter Finals
The second round of World Cup Group matches got underway with the holders Australia taking on a Scotland side who had a comprehensive and surprising loss to Italy in their opening encounter. The record books were on standby as the Kangaroos were expected to run in a cricket score, having been handicapped by sixty points on the coupon.
It´s only the second time that the two sides have met, Australia taking the spoils with a 54-12 win in the 2016 Four Nations Competition. No-one gave the Bravehearts a chance of springing a surprise in the full knowledge that a defeat would almost certainly end their competition.
Mal Meninga made wholesale changes to his winning side to rotate his squad while Scotland also had a number of changes, the most prominent being the omission of Ryan Brierley after he suffered an elbow strain, his replacement being Alex Walker.
Australia Demolish Scotland To Make The Quarter Finals
The second round of World Cup Group matches got underway with the holders Australia taking on a Scotland side who had a comprehensive and surprising loss to Italy in their opening encounter. The record books were on standby as the Kangaroos were expected to run in a cricket score, having been handicapped by sixty points on the coupon.
It´s only the second time that the two sides have met, Australia taking the spoils with a 54-12 win in the 2016 Four Nations Competition. No-one gave the Bravehearts a chance of springing a surprise in the full knowledge that a defeat would almost certainly end their competition.
Mal Meninga made wholesale changes to his winning side to rotate his squad while Scotland also had a number of changes, the most prominent being the omission of Ryan Brierley after he suffered an elbow strain, his replacement being Alex Walker.
RLFANS.COM news items are posted in forums where it is thought that they will be of interest to the readership, all comments made below will also be available for viewing through the front page.
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