The Rugby League World Cup is now almost upon us. Squads have been selected, teams have arrived, warm up matches have been played and players have been sent home due to disciplinary issues (in England's case anyway).
A World Cup which promises so much will start tomorrow will the double header in Cardiff. The overwhelming favourites Australia take on England which I hope will get the tournament off to a flying start. This is followed by Wales against Italy, which will also be an interesting match up. Much is expected of the tournament and hopefully more media coverage and the presence of Sonny Bill Williams means that many more may tune in who would not have before.
A World Cup which promises so much will start tomorrow will the double header in Cardiff. The overwhelming favourites Australia take on England which I hope will get the tournament off to a flying start. This is followed by Wales against Italy, which will also be an interesting match up. Much is expected of the tournament and hopefully more media coverage and the presence of Sonny Bill Williams means that many more may tune in who would not have before.
I do believe that this tournament can get people watching and talking about Rugby League, I just hope it is for positive reasons.
Here are my hopes for the tournament:
1) Strong England Performance
This is what many in this country will be hoping for as a successful England will drive media coverage and interest in the game. Having spoken to the Rugby Football League (RFL) in the past I know that they see this as a crucial goal if Rugby League is to grow. Essentially Steve McNamara has been building towards this tournament since he got the job. Everything England have done, be it in the Four Nations or matches against the Exiles, has been about preparing for this World Cup. As a result now is the chance to shine.
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| England's star man Sam Tomkins eyeing glory |
I have had my reservations about McNamara since he was appointed as he has had no real success before. It reminded me very much of when Steve McClaren was appointed manager of the England football team. He is the main reason I do not think England will win the tournament. I do not believe he is the man to inspire the players or to tactically outwit sides such as Australia and New Zealand.
With regards to the squad selected I believe that Lunt, Myler, Lomax and Matty Smith can feel hard done by not being in the squad although I was still optimistic about our chances. That was until the last week. The defeat to Italy was a massive shock however this result did not really change my mind but rather the off the field antics that have been so very disappointing. Gareth Hock thrown out of the squad and James Graham not in the squad to face Australia. This is deeply alarming given the task ahead that some players do not seem to respect the rules of the team laid down by McNamara. It is very rare a side with problems in the camp go on to achieve at a major tournament, thinking of France at the football World Cup in South Africa in 2010 and England in the Rugby Union World Cup in 2011. I just hope that they are focused and come out on Saturday and give the Australians and great game.
As an England fan the Burgess brothers should be great to see. I want to see Sam Burgess smashing through the Aussies come Saturday. I am very interested to see how all the NRL based players will perform at this tournament. I do think we have some great players and the likes of NRL bound Sam Tomkins (above) is obviously the main attraction, but others such as Josh Charnley and Kevin Sinfield could be big players here. My concern is in the centres as is an area as we look weak and when you think the Australians have Greg Inglis, it is an area that will be exploited.
Despite this I will obviously be supporting them and hope and praying for an England win.
2) Packed out Stadiums
The RFL have done a good job with the allocating of stadiums to certain matches. Now I just hope that these stadiums are full. Ticket sales were always a concern but it would seem they have done well. The double header idea and buy one get one half price deals will hopefully attract many people. England vs Ireland is the only sell-out so far which is a little disappointing but still a great achievement. There is nothing worse than empty stadiums. You need the atmosphere, that is why Australia's World Cup of 2008 was such a success. I do hope that the double header at Wembley and in the Final the attendance is near 80,000 however this would seem a bit much at present. Hopefully a good start to the tournament will push people to go buy tickets.
3) Great Games
Seems a fairly obvious one but it is worth saying. I do think the group phase set up will work in producing interesting, exciting and close matches. It is an idea I can see Rugby Union following very soon. One-sided matches are the last thing people want to see and they benefit no-one. Yes Australia will probably still get 50+ against Fiji and Ireland but the way they have organised it is still correct. The lesser countries will really feel they can win matches and that is good for Italy, Wales, Samoa, Tonga, Scotland and the USA. The last World Cup through up some great matches that did not involve the big 3 - notably Fiji vs Ireland in the semi-final qualifier. I do hope that such matches will be seen again.
The final is likely to be a combination of New Zealand, Australia and England and as predictable as this maybe that should also be a cracking game and one not be missed.
4) Papua New Guinea to do well
I have always have a soft spot for Papua New Guinea. I do not know what is about them they just seem to carry a feel good factor and overall enjoyment at tournament. In fact this can be said for all of the island countries from Polynesia and Melanesia such as Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands and Fiji. These are nations that bring real fun to the tournament as well as power, athleticism and skill. I am sure they will have what appears home support at many of the venues across the England and Wales.
5) Anyone but Australia to win
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| Duel-Code star Sonny Bill Williams |
For me and for the game itself, the fact that New Zealand won the 2008 tournament was a great achievement. For so long Australia have been so dominant and it was fantastic to see New Zealand win. If England go out, I will be cheering for New Zealand to win over Australia (however would love a Papua New Guinea win it seems unlikely). It will be great for the game and also New Zealand Rugby League. It is a shame that Benji Marshal switched codes however given his performances this season he would have struggled to get in the team. But the inclusion of Sonny Bill Williams (right) is a fantastic piece of news for International Ruby League. He is a world superstar in both codes. He will draw media attention and despite many in the game disliking his arrogance his presence is a good thing. His pre-tournament comments on Rugby League have also gone down very well.
6) Positive after affect
Whether England win or not I want to see interest in the game both from the public and commercially. I want it to help find the Super League a main sponsor and to improve the downtrodden reputation that many have and pass on about Rugby League by Unionists who have never played nor have a clue what it is like. This is a golden chance to improve its profile but it will need the players, the fans, the BBC and the media as a whole to support it if this is to happen. Everyone must be pulling in the same direction. With the BBC only having a few games it is vital that these are top matches. I just hope that are and they are advertised and commented on in the right way and not in the condescending way it has been in the past.
