England and Australia to lock horns in opener

ENGLAND will get the 2017 Rugby League World Cup finals under way against holders Australia under the lights of Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on October 27.

They will then play their first-ever international against Lebanon at Sydney Football Stadium on November 4 before flying on to Perth to play their final pool A match against France.

The tournament draw, announced simultaneously at events in Brisbane and Auckland this week, is following the successful format of the England and Wales event in 2013, with three teams going through to the quarter-finals from the top two pools and one each from pools C and D.

Papua New Guinea, as a hosting partner, will play all their three pool matches in Port Moresby and other exotic venues include Townsville, Darwin and Canberra.

There is a concentration of matches in Queensland following a push by their state government, and only two in Sydney.

Quarter-finals will be held in Darwin, Christchurch, Wellington and Melbourne, while Brisbane and Auckland will host the semi-finals and the final will be held in Brisbane on Saturday, December 2.

England captain Sean O’Loughlin welcomed the draw, saying: “The World Cup tournaments are going from strength to strength with the quality of teams involved and choice of venues. The organisers have selected some good stadiums for players and fans to enjoy.

“Australia, Lebanon and France will all bring their own individual challenges in the group stages and we look forward to meeting them next year. Tournaments like these put international rugby league on the main stage. It gives the sport a chance to show the level of skill, passion and pride the players have.”

Widnes boss Denis Betts is on the England coaching staff as assistant to head coach Wayne Bennett.

Ireland and Wales are among a group of six nations still hoping to take three of the 14 spots still up for grabs when they complete the European qualifying section this autumn.

If Wales, who failed to win a game in the 2013 tournament, top their qualifying group, they will start their World Cup campaign against Papua New Guinea on October 28 before going on to meet Fiji in Townsville and finishing in Perth against the winners of the other European qualifying group containing Ireland, Spain and Russia.

The Perth date is a double-header, with England taking on France at the stadium on the same day.