Newcastle (United Kingdom) (AFP) - Australia kick off the defence of their Rugby League World Cup title against Fiji on Saturday, with skipper James Tedesco insisting this edition might be the most challenging yet for the all-conquering Kangaroos.
Australia have won seven of the last eight Rugby League World Cups, including the last edition in 2017.
The blip in that streak came in 2008 when New Zealand won for the first time.Great Britain, now playing as four separate nations headed by England, last won in 1972.
"Every nation, especially Samoa, Tonga, England, New Zealand, have top players who have had great years in the NRL and the Super League," said Tedesco, the Sydney Roosters full-back who played for Italy in the last two World Cups thanks to his Italian father.
"It's not as easy as 20 years ago when Australia would just be dominant.It makes it challenging but it makes it exciting too.
"There is some expectation from back home, but we know we need to work hard to win, there’s no secret about that.We need to build through every game to make sure that when we hit the semis, we are playing our best footy."
Fiji 'not easy'
The rugby league calendar, like many other sports, was hard-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic and Australia's last outing was a shock defeat by Tonga in Auckland back in November 2019.
An Ashes series in England scheduled for 2020 was postponed and this World Cup is being held a year late.One consequence of the lack of international action is that there are a record 13 uncapped players in Mal Meninga's 24-strong Australia squad, including just five who were part of the team that won the last title, in Brisbane in 2017.
But many star turns from the NRL failed to make the squad, such is the strength of the game in Australia, with many others choosing to play for "heritage" nations such as New South Wales State of Origin winger Brian To’o and Roosters teen prodigy Joseph Suaalii.
Fiji, losing semi-finalists in the last three World Cups, have the daunting prospect of taking on Australia in Headingley in Leeds on Saturday, part of an opening day double-header that also sees England play Samoa at Newcastle's St James' Park.
"We just want to give ourselves a 100 percent chance to prep the best that we can because we need to turn up against Australia, otherwise they’re a team that are going to cause a lot of headaches for you," said Fiji captain Kevin Naiqama.
Fijian hopes were not bolstered by a 50-0 warm-up defeat by England, but Naiqama's counterpart Tedesco refused to read too much into the result.
"They’ve got a good, physical squad and they are very passionate as well; it’s going to be a good challenge and it’s not going to be easy," he said.
NRL experience
The 16-team format realistically leaves six or so teams looking down the barrel of returning home winless.
And countries have been boosted by heritage players: all bar France, Jamaica and Wales have at least one current NRL player.Countries as disparate as Lebanon, Greece, Papua New Guinea and the Cook Islands all boast at least five players with NRL experience.
With that in mind, England coach Shaun Wane labelled his team "the underdogs" for their showdown with Samoa, whose squad boasts six members of Penrith Panthers' recent NRL Grand Final-winning team as well as two from the runners-up Parramatta Eels.
"It's not necessarily about spoiling the party," said Samoa captain Junior Paulo in reference to his team having never beaten one of the traditional "big three" of Australia, England and New Zealand.
"But beating England would signify a massive achievement for Samoa on the international scale."
For the first time, the women's and wheelchair World Cups will also take place alongside the men's competition.
"This is international rugby league's moment to shine," said the tournament's chief executive Jon Dutton.
"We are about to stage the biggest tournament in the sport's 127-year history."
