Italy Stun Scotland With Comprehensive Win

Scotland, ranked fifteenth in the world, took on Italy (seventeenth) in the second Group B fixture with the opportunity that a big win from either side could see them top the group after Australia only managed a thirty-four-point win over Fiji last night.

The sides have met twice previously with Scotland winning one and the other ending in a draw, the win being Scotlands record 104-0 win in 2009 European Cup, the other being a 30-30 draw in the group stages of the Word Cup in 2013.

Scotland had been handicapped by twelve points on the coupon, but with little to go on as to how the two sides would settle, it was a very difficult game to call. Both sides needed to win to give themselves any chance of finishing in the top two, the competition would be as good as over for today’s losing side.

READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

Italy Stun Scotland With Comprehensive Win

Scotland, ranked fifteenth in the world, took on Italy (seventeenth) in the second Group B fixture with the opportunity that a big win from either side could see them top the group after Australia only managed a thirty-four-point win over Fiji last night.

The sides have met twice previously with Scotland winning one and the other ending in a draw, the win being Scotlands record 104-0 win in 2009 European Cup, the other being a 30-30 draw in the group stages of the Word Cup in 2013.

Scotland had been handicapped by twelve points on the coupon, but with little to go on as to how the two sides would settle, it was a very difficult game to call. Both sides needed to win to give themselves any chance of finishing in the top two, the competition would be as good as over for today’s losing side.

READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

Ireland Put Their Mark On World Cup With Defeat of Jamaica





The fourth match of this year’s World Cup saw Headingley play host to the clash between debutants Jamaica and Ireland.
The more experienced Wolfhounds were the clear favourites in the bookmakers’ markets at 1-125 for the win, while the Reggae Warriors were 16-1.
Leeds’ Richie Myler got the game under way on his club home ground, as Ireland started their first game in three years. Ireland  the best of the opening sets, with a cut-out pass to left winger Innes Senior looking like it would lead to and early score before he was pushed into touch.
READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

Ireland Put Their Mark On World Cup With Defeat of Jamaica





The fourth match of this year’s World Cup saw Headingley play host to the clash between debutants Jamaica and Ireland.
The more experienced Wolfhounds were the clear favourites in the bookmakers’ markets at 1-125 for the win, while the Reggae Warriors were 16-1.
Leeds’ Richie Myler got the game under way on his club home ground, as Ireland started their first game in three years. Ireland  the best of the opening sets, with a cut-out pass to left winger Innes Senior looking like it would lead to and early score before he was pushed into touch.
READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

New Zealand Find It Tough To Beat Lebanon

On paper it looked like the most one-sided game of the opening weekend of the World Cup as second favourites for the competition New Zealand took on a Lebanon side who had been given a forty point start on the handicap coupon by the bookies. You could get 200/1 on a Lebanon win but a one hundred pound bet on the Kiwi´s would win you just a quid.

New Zealand are currently ranked as number one in the World, Lebanon in thirteenth place on the international table, but after making the quarter finals last time out they were hopeful that they would be able to achieve the same this time round, starting with limiting the against score.

This is the second time that the two sides have met, New Zealand winning by 64-0 in the only previous encounter.

READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

New Zealand Find It Tough To Beat Lebanon

On paper it looked like the most one-sided game of the opening weekend of the World Cup as second favourites for the competition New Zealand took on a Lebanon side who had been given a forty point start on the handicap coupon by the bookies. You could get 200/1 on a Lebanon win but a one hundred pound bet on the Kiwi´s would win you just a quid.

New Zealand are currently ranked as number one in the World, Lebanon in thirteenth place on the international table, but after making the quarter finals last time out they were hopeful that they would be able to achieve the same this time round, starting with limiting the against score.

This is the second time that the two sides have met, New Zealand winning by 64-0 in the only previous encounter.

READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

France Given A Scare by Greece

The first ever meeting between France and Greece took place at the Eco-Power Stadium in Doncaster as the side ranked eleventh in the World faced the side ranked thirteen for what on paper looked like it would be a walkover for the French side.

Laurent Frayssinous seventeen was packed full of household names as most of the team were derived from the Catalans Dragons and Toulouse Olympique sides, along with a handful of other players plying their trade at English Super League clubs.

The bookies had given Greece a twenty-four point start on the handicap coupon in this Group A game as they took part in their first ever World Cup game after qualifying for the first time. England fans had a big interest in checking out the two remaining sides that they have left to play in their group.

READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

France Given A Scare by Greece

The first ever meeting between France and Greece took place at the Eco-Power Stadium in Doncaster as the side ranked eleventh in the World faced the side ranked thirteen for what on paper looked like it would be a walkover for the French side.

Laurent Frayssinous seventeen was packed full of household names as most of the team were derived from the Catalans Dragons and Toulouse Olympique sides, along with a handful of other players plying their trade at English Super League clubs.

The bookies had given Greece a twenty-four point start on the handicap coupon in this Group A game as they took part in their first ever World Cup game after qualifying for the first time. England fans had a big interest in checking out the two remaining sides that they have left to play in their group.

READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

Tonga Beat PNG In Epic Encounter

On paper it was the most eagerly anticipated game of the tournament so far as Tonga faced Papua New Guinea in a Group D game, the group of death, in what had been billed as the roughest and toughest encounter of the World Cup so far.

Tonga were big favourites with the bookies having been given a twenty-four point start on the handicap coupon and the side currently ranked second in the world knew that they needed a good start to their campaign against the side ranked fifth.

Both sides were hopeful of progressing from a group which also contains the Cook Islands and Wales and knew that a win tonight would put them well on their way to the knock-out stages. Kristian Woolf could draw on a host of NRL and Super League stars for Tonga, while Stanley Tepend had Leeds Rhinos star Rhyse Martin as his skipper for Papua New Guinea alongside many other familiar names.

READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

Tonga Beat PNG In Epic Encounter

On paper it was the most eagerly anticipated game of the tournament so far as Tonga faced Papua New Guinea in a Group D game, the group of death, in what had been billed as the roughest and toughest encounter of the World Cup so far.

Tonga were big favourites with the bookies having been given a twenty-four point start on the handicap coupon and the side currently ranked second in the world knew that they needed a good start to their campaign against the side ranked fifth.

Both sides were hopeful of progressing from a group which also contains the Cook Islands and Wales and knew that a win tonight would put them well on their way to the knock-out stages. Kristian Woolf could draw on a host of NRL and Super League stars for Tonga, while Stanley Tepend had Leeds Rhinos star Rhyse Martin as his skipper for Papua New Guinea alongside many other familiar names.

READ MORE ON THIS STORY...