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MANCHESTER – Jahrome Hughes’ injury woes continue with the Melbourne Storm halfback ruled out of Kiwis duty for the second week in a row.
Hughes was a late scratching for the Kiwis’ opener with Lebanon after picking up a thigh strain in their captain’s run, and while it was hoped that he could recover in time to face Jamaica this weekend, he has not been named in Michael Maguire’s squad.
Jeremy Marshall-King, who was drafted in to replace Hughes, will remain in the team with Kieran Foran deputising at halfback alongside Dylan Brown.
New Zealand are set to hand caps to two new players for their second group game, with Sebastian Kris and Scott Sorensen to make their debuts in Hull. Isaac Liu is the other addition.
Adam Doueihi has failed in his appeal to play in Lebanon’s game with Ireland after the Match Review Panel rejected his appeal against a one match ban for foul and abusive language in Sunday’s clash with the Kiwis.
The Wests Tigers man was sent off for dissent and subsequently banned for one match, enough to rule him out of the Cedars crucial clash on Sunday. He was banned by the panel earlier in the week but appealed, with that now rejected.
That game is likely to determine who qualifies from Group C as Lebanon lost to New Zealand in their first game and thus must win their second to stand a chance of qualifying.
Doueihi had hoped to be available, with lawyers arguing that his language was not as offensive as that reported by match official Grant Atkins.
Now, Lebanon must play without one of their key players, with Doueihi – and NRL stalwart – likely to be replaced bz Bulldogs playmaker Khaled Rajab in the halves.
NRL match official Kasey Badger will become the first female referee to take charge of a men’s World Cup match.
Badger will officiate the group D clash between Wales and Tonga in St Helens next Monday (Tuesday AEDT).
Badger, who took charge of the NRLW grand final earlier this year, will also be a touch judge for the Kangaroos’ group B meeting with Scotland in Coventry on Friday (Saturday AEDT).
Grant Atkins will be the main referee for that game, less than six days after he sent off Lebanon’s Adam Doueihi off for the use of abusive language in their loss to New Zealand.
“I nearly fell off my chair when they announced it,” Badger told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“They were talking about the appointments, started talking about creating opportunities and history being made and then they read my name out.
“I was shocked. I didn’t come over here expecting to referee in the men’s tournament, that’s for sure.
“These type of moments don’t come around often, but they are the reason you stay involved.”
Fellow Australian Belinda Sharpe, who became the first female referee in the NRL in 2019, will run the line in Jamaica’s meeting with the Kiwis in Hull.
Another NRL official, Gerard Sutton, will take charge of England’s meeting with France in Bolton.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
RLWC CEO Jon Dutton has defended the price of World Cup tickets after fan complaints that they were priced out of early round games.
Attendances at this tournament are down slightly on the last tournament played in the UK, the 2013 World Cup, though Dutton insisted that broader economic factors were behind the reduced attendances and backed the tournament to exceed the numbers posted by the women’s soccer European Championships, held in June in England.
“When we started the tournament, 57 out of the 61 games had tickets available at £25 or less,” said Dutton in his week one media briefing.
“If we take a deep dive into Bolton on Saturday, we had at the start 8,000 category E (£25/£10) or D (£35/£15) tickets available for that England game.
“Doncaster, our lowest attendance so far, was our cheapest game. Last night (Wednesday, Wales v Cook islands) was priced at adults £15 and children for £5.
“We are really conscience of comparisons to 2013. We need to take into context the current economical environment, the TV terrestrial coverage that we didn’t have (in 2013) and also that we are taking more games to venues.”
The tournament CEO said TV ratings were up and tickets were being sold widely in non-rugby league areas, such as Newcastle and the South of England.
“Just under 100,000 spectators have come through the turnstiles in the first week,” said Dutton. “The stat that really stands out for me – 55% of those inside St James’ Park (for England’s opener) were from the north-east.”
“On Saturday night, after the England game, we had our highest sales since we opened the ballot two years ago.
“The top buying postcode on Saturday night was for London. We are now seeing a trend where people are plotting an England path. We are approaching a sell out at Bolton (for England v France) and we have got some really key moments moving forward.”
John Bateman (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
England coach Shaun Wane has wasted no time recalling John Bateman to his squad after the former Canberra Raiders man completed his suspension.
The backrower sat out England’s opener after being sent off late in the Super League season while playing for Wigan, but has been brought back at the first opportunity and will face France at Bolton on Satuday teatime (UK time).
All-time leading tryscorer Ryan Hall is set to return to the team in place of Tommy Makinson, who is rested, and will equal James Graham on 46 games for England as record appearance holder.
Andy Ackers, Joe Batchelor, Mikolaj Oledzki, Kai Pearce-Paul and Marc Sneyd are all also in the squad and will make their international debuts if included on gameday.
Brad Fittler claims widening State of Origin eligibility rules to include Australian-raised New Zealand and England players will benefit both the domestic and international game.
If you followed the recent Rugby League World Cup, you’ll probably have noted that the tournament has both passionate supporters and vocal detractors.
Since the Super League War, Rugby League has failed to cement an international calendar. The historical tours disappeared – in part due to the war but also since the English game transferred to a summer season.
All the latest from the Rugby League World Cup.
With many spruiking that the pinnacle of our beloved sport is State of Origin, surely it’s time to make yet another amendment to the playbook and finally let New Zealand and English players in on the fun?
With the World Cup final just days away, I thought I’d reflect on some of the key moments and memories of the past ten…
