Dominant Australia wary of Pacific threat at Rugby League World Cup

Australia's Rugby League World Cup defending champions enter the tournament against a new wave of Pacific talent, wary of their growing threat. 12-time champions Australia, under Kevin Walters' leadership, seek to repeat their 2022 triumph over Samoa, held off with a 30-10 victory in Old Trafford. Since then, New Zealand, Tonga, and Samoa have further developed, with many players now playing in the elite National Rugby League, and some defecting from Australia after eligibility rule changes.

Walters warns that this will be a significant test, noting that he has never seen such a spread of talent across top nations. Australia, with nine wins out of the last ten World Cups, faces Group A opponents New Zealand, Fiji, and the Cook Islands. Meanwhile, England, headed by Samoa and Lebanon, along with Tonga, Papua New Guinea, and France in Group C, set the stage for the tournament.

The top two teams from Pool A will advance to the semi-finals, with the final taking place in Brisbane on November 15. Australia boasts a formidable squad, including Isaah Yeo, Latrell Mitchell, James Tedesco, James Tedesco, and Tom Trbojevic, and will defend their title against a star-studded New Zealand team featuring Kalyn Ponga and Dane Gagai.

New Zealand's coach, Stacey Jones, expresses confidence in the team's ability, particularly after winning the Pacific Championships last year. Meanwhile, Samoa, led by Spencer Leniu, looks to mount another strong challenge, while Tonga, featuring Jason Taumalolo and Addin Fonua-Blake, prepares for their opener against England in Perth.

Great Britain, now playing as four separate nations, enters with ambitions, and Australia, as favorites in the women's World Cup, gears up alongside New Zealand, who have been top of the podium four times since 2000.