GROUP A
England
Coach: Shaun Wane
Captain: Sam Tomkins
Previous best: Runners-up (1975, 1995, 2017)
The good news for the hosts? Australia and New Zealand are on the opposite side of the draw. The bad news? They’re in a group with the hugely fancied Samoans, against whom they kick off the tournament in Newcastle on Saturday. Win that and they will be confident of making the semi-finals at least with minimum fuss. Lose it and there’s the prospect of facing Tonga in the quarter-finals. The form of breakthrough youngsters such as Jack Welsby and Dom Young will be key to how a new-look England fares.
Prediction: Runners-up
Samoa
Coach: Matt Parish
Captain: Junior Paulo
Previous best: Quarter-finals (2000, 2013, 2017)
With a number of top NRL players switching their allegiance to Samoa for the tournament there is suddenly a fifth team who will fancy a serious crack at the title. They have never gone further than the last eight but are rightly being tipped to improve on that. Matt Parish is adamant it will take his side time to gel, but they are the bookies’ favourites for the opening game against England. Win that and everyone will be talking about Samoa.
Prediction: Quarter-finals
France
Coach: Laurent Frayssinous
Captain: Benjamin Garcia
Previous best: Runners-up (1954, 1968)
With two of the world’s best sides and the debuting Greeks for company in Group A, third place appears to be France’s likeliest position. They do have a squad comprised entirely of full-time professionals for the first time, thanks to Toulouse’s season in Super League. Exciting young talent such as Catalans’ Arthur Mourgue means they are capable of a shock, but qualifying from the group will be incredibly tough. Prediction: 3rd in group
More than 40,000 tickets have been sold for the opening game of the Rugby League World Cup, with organisers optimistic they can surpass the overall ticket sales recorded at this summer's women's European Championships.
Hosts England kick off against Samoa at St James' Park on Saturday afternoon and the tournament's chief executive, Jon Dutton, told the Guardian sales are still being made for the game. "The attendance will definitely start with a four," he said. "One in every two tickets are being bought by locals too so there's a lot to look forward to."
North of 20,000 tickets have been sold for England's second group game in Bolton against France too. And with sales almost certain to surpass the total for the last World Cup held in England in 2013, the goal for organisers is to now beat the figure of around 570,000 tickets that were sold for this summer's women's Euros.
Dutton and his team are hopeful the success of the Lionesses can provide a platform for the women's tournament to record encouraging attendance figures, with hopes still high the opening game of that competition between England and Brazil in Leeds on 1 November will sell out.
Some games, such as Tonga's fixture with the Cook Islands in Middlesbrough, are "not as strong" as the ticket sales at other games, but Dutton is hopeful that a strong opening weekend will provide a spike in further sales for other matches. "The Lionesses helped generate just over half a million sales for the women's Euros, and that's a good target for us to reach for," he said.
Greece
Coach: Steve Georgallis
Captain: Jordan Meads
Previous best: Debut
Given the strong Greek presence in Australia it is perhaps a surprise the Titans have never reached a World Cup before. But they have put that right and are certain to provide plenty of entertainment. Their squad, captained by Jordan Meads, who has temporarily switched codes to represent his family heritage, is a mix of lower-tier Australian talent and domestic, Greek-born players. They will not qualify from Group A, but will be a story worth tracking.
Prediction: 4th in group
GROUP B
Australia
Coach: Mal Meninga
Captain: James Tedesco
Previous best: Winners (11 times)
Even though they face more competition than ever, the smart money suggests Australia’s record-breaking 11 World Cup titles could become 12. The Kangaroos are fourth in the world rankings, but that is more due to their lack of desire to play games in recent years. That said, their squad of NRL superstars, headlined by the South Sydney maverick Latrell Mitchell, are rightly the overwhelming favourites to lift the trophy once again come mid-November.
Prediction: Champions
Fiji
Coach: Joe Dakuitoga
Captain: Kevin Naiqama
Previous best: Semi-finals (2008, 2013, 2017)
Fiji have reached the semi-finals in the past three World Cups, but the chance of that happening again this time looks slim. The emergence of Samoa and Tonga has pushed them down the rankings and a 50-0 defeat to England last Friday did little to offer any optimism. Their major players, including Penrith’s Viliame Kikau, will be decisive in whether they get to the final four once again but unlike recent years, this time it would be regarded as an upset.
Prediction: Quarter-finals
Scotland
Coach: Nathan Graham
Captain: Dale Ferguson
Previous best: Quarter-finals (2013)
Scotland’s run to the quarter-finals of the last World Cup to be held in England nine years ago provided plenty of memorable moments. However, a hellacious draw that has placed them with Australia and Fiji means getting out of Group B would be even more impressive. Their squad has established talent, including the long-serving NRL forward Euan Aitken. But with several players from England’s lower leagues, escaping the group may be a step too far for the Bravehearts.
Prediction: 3rd in group
Italy
Coach: Leo Epifania
Captain: Nathan Brown
Previous best: Group stages (2013, 2017)
The Azzurri are appearing in their third consecutive World Cup, but have been handed a brutal draw. Being in with the reigning champions, Australia, is tough enough, but a pairing with Fiji and Scotland also means their chances of qualifying from Group B are slim at best. The inclusion of several players from the Italian domestic scene suggests rugby league is on the rise in the country, but they will have to settle for three group games and no more.
Prediction: 4th in group
GROUP C
New Zealand
Coach: Michael Maguire
Captain: Jesse Bromwich
Previous best: Champions (2008)
With Australia’s dominance of this tournament and the emergence of Samoa and Tonga, New Zealand are arguably the one major team everyone is overlooking. As their win in the 2008 final showed, that is a dangerous game to play. They should win Group C with minimum fuss but will have to defeat the Kangaroos to reach the final. They have the talent, headlined by the Bromwich brothers, Jesse and Kenny, to cause another upset, though.
Prediction: Semi-finalists
Lebanon
Coach: Michael Cheika
Captain: Mitchell Moses
Previous best: Quarter-finals (2017)
After appearances in 2000 and 2017, Lebanon have, on this occasion, serious experience leading them into battle. Michael Cheika will honour his family’s Lebanese heritage and take a break from coaching Argentina’s rugby union side to lead the Cedars. They will fancy escaping Group C, too though should they reach the quarter-finals, they will play on the same weekend Argentina face England at Twickenham.
Prediction: 3rd in group
Ireland
Coach: Ged Corcoran
Captain: George King
Previous best: Quarter-finals (2000, 2008)
While Scotland and Wales appear to have the odds stacked against them in qualifying from their group, Ireland will be quietly confident. The side is full of Super League and NRL talent, with the the former England international Richie Myler opting to switch to the Wolfhounds. Their game against Lebanon looks likely to be the one that will determine which nation joins New Zealand in the last eight.
Prediction: Quarter-finalists
Jamaica
Coach: Romeo Monteith
Captain: Ashton Golding
Previous best: Debut
Jamaica’s maiden appearance is arguably the tournament’s feelgood story. It is only the second time a Jamaican team has reached any World Cup, but they have it all to do to get out of Group C. Romeo Monteith’s side deserve immense credit for selecting six domestic-based players, but that inexperience means a dream run to the quarter-finals may be a step too far for the Reggae Warriors.
Prediction: 4th in group
GROUP D
Tonga
Coach: Kristian Woolf
Captain: Jason Taumalolo
Previous best: Semi-finals (2017)
Tonga were the story of the 2017 World Cup. The sight of Auckland’s Mount Smart Stadium filled with their supporters was an image that will live long in the memory and they will fancy a repeat of their run to the semi-finals. Kristian Woolf, fresh from leading St Helens to a fourth straight Super League title, will be in charge of a squad loaded with talent, but they will probably have to see off England and Samoa to reach the final.
Prediction: Semi-finalists
Papua New Guinea
Coach: Stanley Tepend
Captain: Rhyse Martin
Previous best: Quarter-finals (2000, 2017)
The two-time quarter-finalists are favourites to join Tonga in qualifying from Group D. There is the usual blend of top-tier talent – headlined by South Sydney’s Alex Johnston – and domestic-based PNG players meaning the Kumuls are more than capable of an upset. They will entertain but you suspect the sides they could face in the knockout stages will have too much for them.
Prediction: Quarter-finals
Cook Islands
Coach: Tony Iro
Captain: Brad Takairangi
Previous best: Group stages (2000, 2013)
Having never qualified for the knockout stages, the first goal for the Cook Islands will be finishing above Papua New Guinea and Wales. They have the players to do that, with Super League regulars including Dylan Napa plus the Huddersfield-bound Esan Marsters making them one to watch. Anything beyond that would be a huge surprise, though.
Prediction: 3rd in group
Wales
Coach: John Kear
Captain: Elliot Kear
Previous best: Semi-finals (1995, 2000)
This could be a chastening experience for a youthful Wales side. Only two players in their 24-man squad are in Super League, with the rest coming from the English lower leagues and Australian territorial competitions. It is a squad with one eye cast towards the future, but that means any hopes of a quarter-final are somewhat slim. Their experienced coach, John Kear, who led Sheffield to the Challenge Cup in 1998, is no stranger to a shock, but Wales qualifying from Group D would be a monumental upset.
Prediction: 4th in group
