Its a tournament that was conceived with the notion that regular test football between the top nations would see other teams life their game and come up to the same level we have seen Australia play at forever. Has it worked? New Zealand’s success in 2006 and the 2008 World Cup is look at as…
New Zealand have easily accounted for England 24-10 in front of a pretty decent crowd in Wellington. With both teams wearing historic jerseys and really going all out for a few photos to mark the occasion, its was interesting to see James Graham snarl “Don’t touch me” to a ground coordinator who was just trying…
Well over the last few weeks I have watched the Soccer World Cup, basically because there isn’t much else on that late at night in Australia. Now Australia were bloody terrible, but I take heart in knowing that at least we are not as bad at Soccer as England is. If you are English and…
The Australian Kangaroos have beaten the World Champions New Zealand Kiwi’s 12-8 in torrential rain at Melbourne’s AAMI Park. It was the first game played at AAMI Park, Melbourne’s brand new rectangular pitched stadium, and the rain thrashed down for the full 80 minutes. The pitch itself must have been incredible to take the battering…
Well Australia face the World Champion New Zealand Kiwi’s this Friday night down in Melbourne. It will be the first event held at Melbourne brand new rectangular stadium that will become the home of the Melbourne Storm. Looking at both lineups, I don’t think either team has gone out to experiment too much. Both teams…
Normally we don’t see the the draw for a major international Rugby League competition until a few weeks before the bloody thing kicks off, however this time around the IRLF (ARL/RFL) have taken time out from meetings in Singapore in high priced hotels to get a draw out early. The 2008 World Cup was a…
I’ve been very critical of England for a very long time, I’ve give my opinion on changes that needed to be made, and so when those changes have come into being, I shouldn’t be surprised by Englands improvement. England beat New Zealand 20-12 in a good old fashioned test match! New Zealand started well and…
This is a very strange week for all teams in the Four Nations Tournament. Australia is through to the Final, we know that much. We also know that France is no chance of making the final. These two teams play each other while England take on the World Champions in the New Zealand Kiwi’s with…
New Zealand have beaten France 62-12 in a game that was actually pretty close at one point. France showed they can put in a good 60 minutes (Better than Australia ATM!) however their fitness really lets them down and they bled points late in the game against the Kiwi’s. It was a good hit out…
Its been a week of hysterical poms and over the top statements as we work into what I call the “48 Hours Of Honest Reflection” that comes following another massive Australian win over a terrible English side. We’ve had all but one Pom in the press doing the cheerleading thing this week, some ridiculous, simplistic statement, and…
Australia and New Zealand have fought out a 20 all draw at the Stoop in London. In what at times was a scrappy game, both teams looked rusty at times with New Zealand playing the better football over the course of the game. The Kiwi’s were under the pump early on but in true Rugby…
After weeks of waiting for a good footy fix, the Four Nations is finally here! It has been interesting to see the way the four teams have approched the series in the last ten days. Australia has been quietly confident, but you get a sense of them brooding on that World Cup Final loss last…
The World Champions have kicked off the international season with a solid 40-24 win over Tonga in Rotorua, New Zealand. The Kiwi’s were made to work hard for their win, only running away with the game in the last 20 minutes. At one point the scores were level at 24 all in the second half….
The New Zealand Rugby League today named their squad for the upcoming Four Nations competition to be held in England and France. The squad contains seven uncapped players and really has a bit of an eye on the future with some very good young talent in the team. The Kiwi’s have been hit hard by…
The Rugby League Ashes series goes back 101 years and to the very heart of the establishment of Rugby League in Australia. For 90 years it was the pinacle of the game. It was THE proving ground. It was where greats become legends, where former greats realised the game had passed them by. It was…
The supposed Rugby league International Federation (Or what ever they are called today) is currently meeting in Singapore (I’m not joking) and thrashing out the future of the international game which spending huge money on high priced hotels in a country where Rugby League has never been played. During this time a big decision was…
Well the State Of Origin series is over and the next representative football we will be looking forward to is the end of season Four Nations competition held in England and France. The World Champion New Zealand team will be looking to stamp themselves as the best in the world while Australia will be looking…
Normally, I find nothing more exciting than a Test match. I grew up in an era of very good Test football where it was a real pinacle of the game. The mid season “ANZAC” Test though, its just not doing it for me any more. We throw two teams together with a five day preperation,…
Australian Test selectors have made few changes to the team beaten in last year World Cup Final. The team that wasn’t good enough will be given a chance to get some sort of false redemption against the World Champion New Zealand Rugby League team in Friday night in Sydney. New Zealand have made a few…
Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the international waters, the idiots running this game destroy any hope or enthusiasm you might have had. Today the RFL announced the details for the Four Nations competition to be held at the end of the year between World Champions New Zealand, Australia, France…
Its amazing to think that after so many years of waiting, the 2008 Rugby League World Cup is now behind us. After setbacks, questions about whether it would even be run, countless doubters and a cynical supporters base wondering if they would get it right, you have to give the organizers credit for pulling together…
It was very strange seeing New Zealand doing a victory lap with what I consider to be OUR World Cup, and while it was great for the game to see it happen make no mistake, I wanted Australia to win the big one. Having said that, I think the reaction by some within the Australian…
Strap in folks, this is gonna be a long one! In an amazing game that was a fitting end to the centenary celebrations in Australia, New Zealand has beaten Australia 34-20 to claim the Rugby League World Cup! I was lucky enough to be at the game and it was very surreal to see New…
Well its here, the Rugby League World Cup Final and the chance for one nation to claim it is the undisputed World Champions. Australia have held that mantle for three decades, and while New Zealand managed to win the 2005 Tri Nations Final, this is the only game you can win and claim to be…
New Zealand has won a great test match beating England 32-22 and booking a place in the 2008 World Cup Final. It was a fantastic game to watch and at time it looked like either team might win the game, but the Kiwi’s always seemed to have something in reserve. England probably played their best…
New Zealand have easily accounted for England in the last of their pool matches, winning 36-24. Now, before you read on keep in mind that these two teams will play again next week in the World Cup Semi Final, and this game had no baring on the competition, so both teams tried a few things….
New Zealand have belted Papua New Guinea 48-6 in a game that really tied off a lot of lose ends in this World Cup. Many were looking at this contest as a marker towards how England will fare tomorrow night against Australia, and the signs were not good for Pommy fans. While PNG didn’t play…
After watching the New Zealand Maori Haka being challenge by the Aboriginal war dance and seeing both proud teams look like they may come to blows before the game started, you could help but be pumped up ahead of the Australia vs New Zealand match. Unfortunantly I didn’t get to see the Aboriginal Dream Time…
I can’t believe it, the World Cup is about to kick off!!! I’ll be doing previews of every game during the World Cup and here are the first three games to watch over the weekend. Obviously all the attention will be on Australia vs New Zealand but the way the competition is set up, every…
When the Super Group was announced there were many different reactions. Some said PNG was hard done by, and its hard to disagree. England immeditaly felt confident, Australia said the group would be there while New Zealand was too busying falling to pieces to care. The Super Grouping works really well for the Rugby League…