Organizers have announced the dates for the Rugby League World Cup 2022. The tournament is to take place in England from October 15 to November 19, 2022. All matches will be played simultaneously, with the men’s and women’s tournaments taking place at the same venue, Old Trafford in Manchester. BBC Sport will provide live coverage of the tournament, and there will be regular columns and features on the teams. The website will also provide match reports for every game.
The final of the Rugby League World Cup will feature Australia and Samoa. The Australians have won the tournament three straight years, and are on a streak of 12 wins in a row. The Kangaroos have also won nine of the last 10 tournaments since 1975. The Pacific Islands have never threatened to upset the Australians in a World Cup final.
The Australian Kangaroos beat New Zealand in the semi-final and will now take on Samoa in the final. The deciding game is set to take place at the Old Trafford ground in Manchester. The final will be played at 3am (AEST) on Sunday.
The match was marred by an incident where Angus Crichton was banned from the game after he knocked out a hooker with a raised forearm. The Roosters backrower has apologised to the team for the incident, and is set to miss the next two games against the Dolphins and Warriors.
Crichton could also miss the opening two games of the 2023 NRL season, if he appeals the decision to ban him. He could also miss the 2023 Super League season, too. Several of the Kangaroos will miss the final, however, as they will be minus five players.
The match was also marred by a controversial incident. Angus Crichton was banned for an illegal chargedown in the final. Referee Ashley Klein issued a charge of dangerous contact, and the Roosters backrower will not be permitted to play. The Australians have not lost a World Cup final since 2008, and it is possible that they could win the fourth tournament in 2025. But the other nations must also move quickly to keep pace.
In a bid to attract more fans, the tournament is being shifted to an earlier date. It will take place in October, one week earlier than in 2021. This will allow the existing broadcast partners to continue to air all 61 matches.
The BBC has a strong line up of rugby league commentators. The broadcaster will be headed by Philip Bernie, and will include Sharon Shortle, Dave Woods, Matt Newsum and Andy Stevenson. The website will also provide regular columns and features on the nations, as well as match reports for every game.
The BBC will also host a podcast every Monday, with Steve Mascord, Andy Stevenson and a host of guests. The website will also provide an essential guide to the tournament. The final is also being shown on Fox Sports. There are also some live streaming services available, including Fox’s Kayo service.
