What to watch out for as we gear up for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup

Lucy Gordon

If you’re starting to get excited about this year’s Rugby League World Cup taking place between October and December, then you aren’t alone. The tournament is already starting to shape up with various teams qualifying in the 15th showing of the series. The World Cup series will take place in New Zealand, Australia, and Papua New Guinea at various top stadiums. So as October draws near, we’ve got a few things that you’ll want to watch for that will help to shape the 2017 match.

Who Is Locked In at This Point?

As of right now, 11 out of the 14 qualifying nations are guaranteed a spot. These teams will be divided into various pools, which is exactly what happened in the 2013 match. There are four pools right now and here’s what they look like:

  • Pool A: England, Australia, Lebanon, and France
  • Pool B: Samoa, New Zealand, Tonga, and Scotland
  • Pool C: Papua New Guinea, European Qualifier 1, European Qualifier 2
  • Pool D: USA, Fiji, and European Qualifier 3

Obviously home turf can be an advantage in a big match such as this, so it’s no surprise that Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea are expected to put up quite a battle. This can definitely be said for New Zealand especially who will play all their pool matches in their own country. This could definitely give them an advantage as long as they don’t let the stress of the home crowd overwhelm them.

The pool matches will begin in October and finish up the second week of November. At that point they will move into the finals with the last game taking place at Brisbane Stadium on Dec. 2.

Looking to Upstage Previous Matches

While there aren’t many details on the event itself at this point, it is expected that the hosts are aiming to out-do the World Cup matches of the past. They are looking to create the best, most exiting, and biggest tournament that has ever taken place. Of course, when you set the bar that high it can be hard to meet those expectations. It will be interesting to see the details come out closer to the event itself.

Look for the US to Represent the Americas

The Americas engaged in a rather tough battle for that qualifying spot, and in the end the U.S. managed to nudge out Jamaica and Canada for the coveted spot. This will be the second time in a row that the U.S. has managed to nab a spot. This is helping to create more interest and buzz when it comes to fans in the Americas.

Why Not Place Some Friendly Wagers on the Games?

If you’re looking to take your love of the game to the next level, you may want to think about placing some bets for the match. In the same way that it’s easy for you to find Randwick racecourse racing tips online, there are also plenty of places to find tips for betting on rugby. There are all kinds of betting tip websites dedicated to rugby, and many of them offer mobile app versions of the site. This means you can be on top of all the latest news at all times, which makes placing a bet much easier.

Plan on Attending?

Just a quick note if you do plan on attending the event, you’ll want to make your travel plans as early as possible. The event is expecting to draw plenty of large crowds, so flights and hotel accommodations may become hard to book. The further in advance you can book, the better for you. As well, various events, tours, and packages are being offered in conjunction with the World Cup match.

Plenty of Excitement Ahead

No matter what country you are pulling for, there is bound to be lots of excitement and news ahead as we wait and watch to see who grabs those final spots.