The first match will be between England and Australia, the same sides that played against each other in 1995 at Wembley. That year, the English side, headed by Phil Larder, landed a win that created a lot of excitement among fans. However, in 2000, when England lost to Australia 22-2 at Twickenham, fans created a riot that is among the most damaging in the history of Rugby League World Cup.

Double Header on Day 1 – Additional Match between Italy and Wales

In 2013, there will be an additional match – between Italy and Wales (who is co-hosting the tournament). Though the time of the match has not been confirmed, many believe that it may take place in the first half of the first day to make a double-header.

The previous World Cup, held in 2008 in Australia, did not see Wales participate, as the side did not qualify despite reaching the semi-finals of the last two tournaments. But, the side has improved after coach Iestyn Harris took over. In the Four Nations series last autumn, Wales qualified. The side gave a creditable performance, even though it did not save them from facing three losses.

Italy’s Involvement in Opening Fixture Surprises Many

Many in the industry are surprised that Italy is involved in the opening fixture of the series. The response Italy will get for its participation is likely to be similar to that faced by Lebanon when the side participated in the tournament in 2000. Italy’s players will go up against tough competitors from Australia.

Since Lebanon’s experience with the Rugby League World Cup in 2000, a few changes have been made to the code in the country. Other nations like Italy and the USA, which are considered unlikely entrants in the tournament, have also adopted some of the new codes. USA has been slated to make its debut in the World Cup in Wales’ group, in Wrexham.

Ireland and Fiji in Group A

Ireland and Fiji will play in Group A against Australia and England. Three teams from the group will qualify to play in the quarter finals in Rochdale, where there is a good likelihood of Ireland and Fiji competing with each other. Since the 1960s, when many players from Fiji joined the English side, Rochdale has had a big community of Fijians.

According to the organizers, the tournament will have a complicated draw. This has been done to ensure that the matches are competitive throughout the World Cup. Papua New Guinea will face Samoa and France in two group games, which will be held at Craven Park. Samoa will play against New Zealand at Halliwell Jones Stadium in Warrington.

Besides Warrington, Leeds, Wigan and Wrexham will also host the quarter finals. Though Wembley is the favorite for staging the semi-finals and finals, the Rugby Football League has not confirmed the venue. According to the League, there have been a few positive and interesting developments in the World Cup following which they decided to announce details about the final series, later.

Lenagan also announced the details of a collaboration with the Saracens, the Champions of the Aviva Premiership. The Saracens are coached by Andy Farrell, a former player who captained the Wigan Warriors. This collaboration will include a match across codes over the next one year. There is also a possibility of the teams swapping players.

The Tomkins Brothers

Joel Tomkins had four years of his contract with Wigan left to complete, before he shifted teams. He will join the Saracens team once he returns from his holiday in Lanzarote. He will not, however, be accompanied by Sam Tomkins in the near future.

Sam Tomkins (22), played for England in the Four Nations Cup and was presented at a press conference held at Wigan. Sam has signed a new five year contract with Wigan. This contract carries a clause which prohibits him from entering into talks with any NRL Club or the Rugby Union for the next three years.

This will ensure that the full-back will be on the English Team for the World Cup in 2013. The RFL is hoping to prevent any more defections by allowing special exceptions to the salary cap that is imposed on all the members of the Engage Super League. Wealthy clubs like Wigan aim to pay their major players more.

Lenagan’s Plans for the NRL

After helping negotiate the regulations which will ensure Tomkins is the highest paid Rugby player in the league, Lenagan downplayed the threat of the 15-man code. He went on to suggest that Wigan could start poaching players from the Rugby Union.

He said that the Rugby Union and NRL can work closely, as they are different games. Lenagan said that he isn’t afraid of players defecting to the Rugby Union as there is just as much risk of players joining the NRL since the pound is more valuable currently than the dollar.

The Four Nations tournament will spread over four weeks in the months of October and November 2011. Three rounds will make up the preliminary stage of the tournament where each team will face off against each other. After a total of six matches, the two leading teams will compete in the finals. Join Sky Bet to bet on the four nations and get 10 quid free by clicking here.

Four Nations Betting odds at Sky Bet

The betting odds for Round One matches have been released by Sky Bet. The winning odds for Australia stand at 1/9 while the odds favouring a New Zealand victory stand at 5/1. The betting odds for a draw stand at 25/1. The odds for the England v Wales game on October 29 are also out, with Sky Bet setting odds in favour of England at 1/100 and Wales at 16/1. The betting odds for a draw stand at 33/1.

The betting odds for the overall tournament winner favour Australia at 4/11. The odds for a New Zealand victory stand at 3/1 while England’s chances are set at 7/1. Newcomer Wales stands a slim chance of clinching the trophy with Sky Bet setting the winning odds for the side at 100/1.

What are the Teams’ Chances This Year?

Winning four out of the six tri-nation tournaments, Australia is still a favourite and is widely predicted to be crowned as the tournament winner. Despite a slew of injured players like Glenn Stewart, Justin Hodges and Petero Civoniceva, experts reckon that the Australian side is still a very strong one.

Reigning champions New Zealand are also strong contenders for the trophy, and the Australian side’s biggest threat. Host England is being viewed as a formidable opponent too, despite not winning a major tournament of late. Wales being a newcomer is not very likely to proceed to the finals and face off against the tougher teams.

The Original Tri-Nations

Starting in 2009, the Rugby League was initially a three-nation tournament with England, Australia and New Zealand participating each year. In addition to these three teams, France and Papua New Guinea have also been tournament participants previously. Since the tri-nation series in 1999, Australia has won the most number of tournaments with New Zealand and England closing in as runners up. The fourth participant is usually decided by the winner of the European Cup or the Pacific Cup. This year, Wales is the new addition and also doubles up as host.

About Four Nations 2011

Round one consists of two matches between Australia and New Zealand on October 28 and between England and Wales on October 29. The second round consists of two matches on November 5 between Wales and New Zealand, while England takes on Australia. Round three will be held on November 12 between England and New Zealand and on November 13 between Wales and Australia. The emerging victors will then face off on November 19. Several pre-tournament matches with additional teams from France and Ireland have already begun from October 16.

A year ago, Chase played against England as a member of New Zealand’s team, the Maoris. This year, he has given his allegiance to his adopted country and will be a part of their team.

Mc Namara’s Team

Steve McNamara, England’s coach, has already chosen Danny Brough (Huddersfield), who played for the Scotland side in the World Cup in 2008, to be on his squad. He has also chosen Australian players, Jack Reed, Chris Heighington and Gareth Widdop, to be a part of the team. This makes the squad a mix of international players.

But McNamara’s biggest risk so far is the inclusion of Chase. The New Zealander, aged 25, qualifies for the team under the laws of residency. He has worked and resided in the UK for the required period of three years. His team-switch has yet to cleared by the Rugby League International Federation. Chase has just signed a contract with the Tigers, which extends till 2015. Fans of the game hope he will be allowed to play in Avignon, against France on the 21st of October.

Chase said that he gave the matter – of playing for England – a lot of consideration when he became eligible to be a part of the team. He then approached Mc Namara and asked to play for the country as he considered it his home and where he wants to settle down permanently.

Other Awards

The awards ceremony in Manchester saw Trent Robinson of the Catalans Dragons being honored as Coach of the Year. Jonny Lomax of St. Helens won the Young Player award. The Catalan Dragons also won Club of the Year.

Robert Purdham (Harlequins and the London Broncos) and Sean Long (Hull FC, Wigan and St Helens) won awards for their outstanding contributions. Harry Jepson won the Lifetime Achievement award.

Change in playoffs format

Earlier, six teams qualified for the play offs, which has now been increased to eight. A change that was initially opposed by the coach of the Warrington team, Tony Smith, the new eight-team play off has given a second chance to many teams that repeatedly lose out. The move has been supported by many as in a league with 14 teams, a lot of games would have been completely meaningless if only six teams entered the playoffs.

The showdown between Hull Kingston Rovers and Castleford Tigers on Saturday rounded up the play offs with Castleford being defeated. Rovers wouldn’t have made it had the six team round-up still been intact. After winning eight out of nine matches, Hull Kingston Rovers have earned themselves a spot in the top eight. Hull FC’s performance was poor, winning and losing 13 matches each and drawing on one occasion.

Extra teams add to the excitement

The addition of two extra teams in the new system also means that there are two additional fixtures this year. This allows the Catalan Dragons to play off against the Hull Kingston Rovers in their renovated stadium Gilbert Brutus. This match will also allow the Catalan Dragons to promote their club.

If Hull is beaten by Leeds and the Catalan Dragons advance in the play offs, they could pose a challenge to the other teams fighting to round up the top four. This move also gives an added advantage to top teams like Warrington and Wigan Warriors. With the addition of two new teams and fixtures in the round offs, this year’s Super League is expected to be more unpredictable. This will only add to the credibility of the league and enhance its reputation as one of the most prestigious rugby competitions in the world.

A five year deal

It is a five year deal which will begin when the next season of the League starts and will run till the end of 2016. The clubs which will reach in the top flight will get more than £1m a year. This is a great boon for the rugby league even as television revenues from other sports are declining.

A great opportunity

If the Wildcats were not amongst the elite group when the licensing announcement was made last week, it would have missed this opportunity. Wildcats will cash in along with thirteen other Super League Clubs. Widnes Vikings, a professional rugby club, based in Widnes, will be included only from the next season. This deal, which was made despite the fact that broadcast sports fee is under pressure, shows that rugby is still a sport that is followed by a huge number of people on television.

Richard Lewis, Chairman of RFL, remarked that this deal would be of great benefit for League. He said that Sky Sports has boosted the morale of everyone who is part of the League with this deal. The fact that this deal was struck at a time when the television revenues from sports are on the decline, shows that Sky Sports has a lot of confidence in the League. He also remarked that this deal reiterates Sky Sport’s faith in rugby’s popularity.

Lewis also explained that domestic rights are sold independently of the international rights. He said that this five year partnership would help RFL to plan ahead for the upcoming leagues well, along with solving various issues that are faced to make the League stronger and more appealing to fans and viewers around the world.

RFL can negotiate deals with other sports channels for the coverage of Carnegie Challenge Cup, another rugby league organized by the RFL and other international matches as this deal is exclusively for the rights of the Super League.

Sean Long has been the victim of many injuries since 2009 and presently suffers a dislocated shoulder. Awarded the Man of Steel in 2000, this rugby player hopes take up coaching. In his twelve years with St Helens, Long has seen a lot of ups and downs. Long was also well known for the controversies he created away from the field. From betting against his own team to abandoning his team due to injury, Long has faced a lot of flak for his behaviour.

Sean Long became a legend while playing for St Helens. The recognition that he earned was due to his skill on the field and his unpredictable aggression. Long was stoic when he announced his retirement and admitted that he was nervous and upset that he would never play rugby again. But he did not want to sacrifice the coaching job and was unsure he would have got it if he had decided to play another year.

In 2004, Sean Long and another St Helens player Martin Gleeson were banned for three months after betting £1000 in favour of opponents Bradford Bulls. St Helens went on to lose the match with the final score of 54-8. In 2006, Long abandoned his team in the Australian tour due to an injury. Long admitted to both the incidents being a case of bad judgment. Long was 27 at the time of the incident. He apologized and admitted he should have stayed back and supported his team even though he was unable to play.

This extremely talented and controversial player will be remembered by fans for his skill and for his shenanigans off the field. He was often known to be aggressive and arrogant even when the situation did not call for it. But he will always be known to his fans and the rugby world as the gutsy player who worked wonders for St Helens.

Moore, who has played for Bradford, Wakefield, and Leigh, is a veteran of the league, having appeared for over 100 times for Wakefield Wildcats. He had joined Crusaders last season on a 2 year contract.

Moore seems excited about the move, saying that he never wanted to leave the club where he had started his career. He is particularly thrilled at the chance of being able to play with Jamie Peacock, the England international. He said that since his days at the academy, he had grown a lot as a player and was confident that he would do justice to the faith shown in him by Leeds.

Brian McDermott, the Leeds Rhinos coach, is thrilled with the addition of Moore to the club. This is just one of the many changes that have taken place at the club this season. While McDermott acknowledged that at 30 years old, Moore doesn’t have age on his side in the highly competitive league, he still had a lot to offer to the club. He said that with his dynamism, Moore is capable of breaking down any defence.

McDermott also said that Moore would be able to fill the gap that was left when Luke Burgess left the club early in the season. The partnership would be beneficial for both the player and the club as Moore would benefit from the great environment at Leeds, while the club would benefit from his experience.

There is some speculation over whether Moore would be able to force his way into a squad that is already quite strong, especially in his position. He however is not taking the task lightly and realizes that his job would be to do his best right from day one to show his old club that he deserves a place in the squad.

Eastmond has enjoyed a great fan following at St Helens and was expected to be Sean Long’s long term successor. Initially the fans showed their disappointment in him over his contract signing by booing him. Eastmond has grown up playing at St Helens and has gone from being a junior player to an England international. In February, following a home defeat by Warrington, he ran off the field and was heavily criticized for this move. When he was booed again, following a defeat to the Harlequins two weeks later, he responded by showing the V sign to the crowd. As expected, he was suspended for this act.

When it comes to leaving the club, he clearly has no regrets for the decision. According to him, he did the right thing by letting the club know beforehand that he would be leaving. This, he says, would help the club in finding a player to replace him. He thinks there is nothing he would want to change about this decision.

When it comes to showing the V sign to the fans, he issued an immediate apology. He admitted that it was wrong on his part. He went on to say that it was more of an emotional response, as his decision to move was what most players would have done, but he was getting undue thrashing for it. He also added that it was perhaps childish on his part. He has had to go through a lot this year and believes he has dealt with it in a good manner.

After the entire fiasco and his suspension, Eastmond is pleased with how things are shaping up. He feels that after getting back into the team, following a two month break, he is playing good rugby, and has a chance of playing in the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup. After St Helens coach, Royce Simmons, picked him again, he has missed only a single Super League match. If he delivers a performance which helps St Helens beat their arch rivals Wigan in the semis, then he might just end up winning the favour of the fans once again.

Ryan Atkins, Warrington Wolves’ centre, found the pressure too much to bear after England’s disappointing performance in their New Zealand and Australia tours last autumn. The 25-year old’s mental strength was tested to such an extent that he finally decided to seek the help of a psychologist.

Warrington helped him rediscover his form

Atkins credits Wolves’ coach Tony Smith and sports psychologist Damian Hughes for helping him get back on his feet. He said that his rugby league stint has made him physically and mentally tougher. He added that he enjoyed playing the game now and had conquered his personal demons. Smith remarked that Atkins was in great form and playing confidently as well as consistently.

The Wolves are having a dream Super League outing so far. They are on top of the table and have successfully warded off opponents, most by a big margin. Moving from game to game with great strength, Wolves’ players have scored and defended extremely well. More importantly, their consistency has seen them consolidate the top spot, unlike Castleford, who had a superb start but faltered soon after. Anyone following rugby league betting will know that the odds for a Wolves’ match are always in their favour. With their latest win against Leeds Rhinos, they have proved that they are indeed the number one side.

The Warrington- Leeds face-off

Warrington is unstoppable – they demolished fifth-placed Leeds Rhinos 42-6 at Headingley to grab two points and strengthen their position at the top. Their first half performance was nothing remarkable, with tries from Monaghan and Briers resulting in a 12-6 lead, something that Leeds could have overcome had they played particularly well.

But Wolves made up for the rather slow start by playing an excellent second-half game. With efforts from Solomona, Bridge, King, Briers, Hodgson and Monaghan, they overcame Leeds, without conceding a point and defending brilliantly. Unfortunately, Wolves also suffered an injury scare, with winger Joel Monaghan departing after a knee incident.

This victory marks their first at Headingly in over five years and their second against the Rhinos, whom they defeated in Haliwell Jones two months ago. Wolves also demolished Leeds in the Challenge Cup final last season, racing to a 12-0 lead at Wembley in just the first eighteen minutes of the game. The rugby league betting odds for a Wolves’ win at bwin and William Hill were 21/50 and 2/5 respectively.