League

Rugby League World Cup, today 4.30pm, 7pm, 9.30pm; tomorrow 5.30pm, 8.15pm, 10.45pm. Friday 10pm. Women's Rugby League World Cup, Thursday 3.30pm, 5.45pm, 8pm.

There’s a big dollop of league this week, with the last pool matches and the first quarterfinal for the men and the opening three games for the women. Most interest is in the Kiwis against Tonga at FMG Stadium in Hamilton in the first of three games today. The winner will take top spot in the pool and with it a supposedly easier quarter-final. There’s plenty of battered pride for the Scots, who face Samoa in Cairns in a clash of the losers. Neither have a point but have one to prove here. Samoa should get the chocolates. Australia wrap up the triple treat against Lebanon in Sydney. Tomorrow, expect another full house in Port Moresby where Papua New Guinea meet the United States. In Melbourne, Wales play Ireland before pool play wraps as England face France in the late game, also at AAMI Park. The first quarter-final is on Friday night, when the pool A winner meets the third team from pool B in Darwin, likely to be Australia v Samoa. The women are under way on Thursday, with three-time champions New Zealand playing Canada in the tournament opener. Also in group B are PNG, while defending champions Australia, England and the Cook Islands are in group A. All matches, apart from the final, are to be played at the home of the Cronulla Sharks.