My top 5 clashes of the RLWC 2017

[PaulyTom]

1. Australia vs England Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
Bennett vs Meninga , doesn't get any better than that. Not to mention in one of the best Rectangular stadiums in Australia. A must win for both teams as it potentially gives the winning team a better run into the finals. Expect the travelling English fans to make plenty of noise.

2. NZ vs Samoa Auckland Mount Smart Stadium
Samoa almost beat New Zealand last 4 nations and will think they are a good possibility of causing one of the biggest boilovers in World Cup history. Who can't wait to see the different War dances of both nations?

3. Tonga vs Samoa Hamilton Waikato Stadium
This could be possibly one of the most fierce-some games in the tournament. No love lost here and with the huge Samoan / Tongan communities near by, this game should have one of the most hostile atmospheres in the RLWC.

4. Australia vs Lebanon Sydney SFS
This game may not be competitive on the field. However the local Lebanese community will be out in force to ensure what they lack in onfield experience is made up with a raucous atmosphere.

5. Any of the PNG games. Port Moresby
This will be the biggest event in PNG history. Expect a nation to stop as they battle through their pool games and move in to the back end of the competition. We are sure to hear stories of kids/families walking 30km to the games or just to sight their favourite players. Bound to be the Cinderella story of the tournament.


Please let me know what your favourite clashes are.

 

[adamkungl]

Hard to argue with the above, but some from left field

Fiji v USA
Experienced test team v Relative newcomers to the scene, but both should have come a long way since their last WC outings. Expecting 2 very different styles of footy and hopefully some home grown talent. Upset definitely possible if USA show up with the same courage as last time round.

England v France
Could this be the year where France finally step up their game on the world stage? A lot of French talent running around Catalans and Super League, hopefully they translate it to international success after their last few disappointing efforts.

 

[PaulyTom]

Yeah I have to agree with you.

I would love to see France become competitive with at least England . Should get a big expat English crowd out there to see that clash.

It is a shame that Fiji will lose a lot of experience in Koroibete, Nabuli, Sisa Waqa and Radradra if he plays for Australia. Upside is they may gain Jarryd Hayne and will add Vunivalu , Waqa Blake and Regan Cambell Gillard to their ranks.

Hard to argue with the above, but some from left field

Fiji v USA
Experienced test team v Relative newcomers to the scene, but both should have come a long way since their last WC outings. Expecting 2 very different styles of footy and hopefully some home grown talent. Upset definitely possible if USA show up with the same courage as last time round.

England v France
Could this be the year where France finally step up their game on the world stage? A lot of French talent running around Catalans and Super League, hopefully they translate it to international success after their last few disappointing efforts.

 

[paulmac]

1.Samoa v Tonga - This fixture never disappoints. Venue should have been Mt Smart as South Auckland is 50% Polynesian.
2.England v Lebanon - Lebanon's first 'home game' and with the 5000 travelling poms this should be a cracking atmosphere.
3.NZ v Samoa - Little brother with a big chance to knock off big brother. If Samoa can hang on to Milford his halves pairing with Nu Brown can cause the kiwis headaches.
4.PNG v Wales - Wales should qualify from their qualifying group but this will be the biggest sports event in PNGs history it will be a massive occasion.
5.Australia v England - Loser has to travel to NZ and face the kiwis in the semis,plenty at stake.

 

[PaulyTom]

Imagine the atmosphere if it was played in Belmore for the England vs Lebanon. 20K packed to the rafters.

 

[Warriors Fever]

Imagine the atmosphere if it was played in Belmore for the England vs Lebanon. 20K packed to the rafters.

One can only dream, I went to Lebanon V Cook Islands and that was quite good for the crowd there. Imagine another 15,000 or so

 

[PaulyTom]

One can only dream, I went to Lebanon V Cook Islands and that was quite good for the crowd there. Imagine another 15,000 or so

I believe there will be some good crowds . The last 2 world cups have really captured the imagination of the public and with Samoa , Tonga , Fiji and PNG having more and more NRL players the games will become more competitive .

 

[PaulyTom]

Did any one see the NRL article of top 10 moments not to be missed? They claimed that Samoa vs Tonga was being played at Barlow Park cairns.

 

[Foreign Legion]

Looking forward to aussies playing England and France... going to Canberra for the roos/french toad trip... Looking forward to scotland and png... BUT just waiting to see the which euro teams make it... like to see Serbia get in... A bit disappointed that Cook Islands and Canada didn't make it...

 

[miguel de cervantes]

Imagine the atmosphere if it was played in Belmore for the England vs Lebanon. 20K packed to the rafters.

Belmore as a World Cup venue..spare the thought. I know money is tight out there, but they can't spring for a return to central once every 8 years?

France v England

France held them for about half and hour in the last world cup. The only hope for the French is the new president has vowed to bring in a french coach that will coach a french style of playing - could we see the return of French flair? It was certiainly AWOL against NZ in Avignon in 2013 where they lost 50 zip or something like that. Some horrible league played by them in that game.

Serbia

Also hoping for Serbia to get in. Can't see any point whatsoever in Ireland and Scotland competing in the WC. Just heritage teams there to make up the numbers unfortunately.

 

[Foreign Legion]

Hopefully they will sell all 14 national jersey... gunna buy a few

 

[adamkungl]

Ireland and Scotland.. indifferent. Competitive teams which is good but no real development. Should be getting their own teams in the 3 tier SL set up, I don't know how this hasn't happened yet but 3 French 2 Welsh and a Canadian team have.
Would be a nice wakeup call if one of them dropped a game to Serbia or Russia.

Is a French coaching change likely? Looking from the outside in, Agar looks like a handbrake on that team. Heap of talent. But easily the poorest performances of the last 2 tournaments, and in a harder group this time round. Should have pissed in 2-3 wins in 2013.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

Au sujet de l’équipe de
France. Avez-vous prévu
de désigner un successeur
à Richard Agar?
Je vais demander que l’on
me transmette son contrat
pour savoir où nous allons
avec lui. Personnellement, je
veux que l’on retrouve une
sélection qui joue à la française
avec, certes une dimension
physique et athlétique
comparable aux Anglais,
mais il faut retrouver notre
french flair. Et ça induit le
reste.