League

World Cup, Friday 9pm.

Rugby league got the jump on their union counterparts by 33 years when they first hosted a World Cup in 1954. Unlike rugby, who host their World Cup on a four- yearly cycle, league has had intervals ranging from two to eight years. Of the first 10 league World Cups, seven were contested by just four teams, the remaining three had five. Australia won seven times, Great Britain three. Since the expansion in 1995 to 10 ( and later up to 16) teams, Australia have won three and New Zealand one ( and twice been runner- up). Fourteen teams have won through to this year's Cup. Over the years, 19 different countries have taken part. The four biggest RLWC crowds have all been in England, ranging from 66,000 to 74,000. In the next month or so ( the final is on December 2), 13 stadiums will play host: eight in Australia, four ( Mt Smart, Hamilton’s FMG Stadium, Westpac Stadium and AMI Stadium) in New Zealand and one in Port Moresby. The final will be at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. The tournament opener will be a cracker from group A, with Australia to play England at AAMI Park in Melbourne. The Kiwis open their campaign a week today against Samoa at Mt Smart.