photo by Ian Lovell

Wales will play their first ever senior rugby league match against Tonga if they can qualify for the 2008 World Cup in Australia.

This was determined after today’s World Cup Finals draw put Tonga in the same World Cup group as the winners of both the two-team European Group A and the repechage round.

Wales face Scotland in Glasgow on Sunday November 4th to decide which side qualifies as European Group A winners. Wales are currently 21-14 down after last October’s match in Bridgend so they would need to win by eight points in order to book their trip down under.

If they don’t achieve this, they will need to win matches against the European Group B runner-up, which will be either Ireland, Russia or Lebanon, and then a repechage round final match against USA or Samoa.

Wales Rugby League’s Executive Chairman Mark Rowley said: “The World Cup in Australia will be a fantastic event but we’ve got an important game up in Scotland to win first before we think about that. Tonga are a team that we’ve never faced before at full international level so this will be uncharted territory for us if we qualify.”

England have been placed in a 'super pool' with Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea in the Finals draw. The top three teams this pool will all go through to the semi-finals, while the other two pool winners play off for the right to join them.

Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium, the venue for Friday's Anzac Test, will host the November 22 final as well as a semi-final and at least three of the remaining 17 matches in the tournament.

Sydney are also guaranteed a semi-final and a minimum of five pool matches and fixtures have been confirmed in Townsville, Robina and Melbourne, with negotiations on-going at other regional venues.

2008 World Cup pools:
Pool 1: Australia, New Zealand, England, Papua New Guinea
Pool 2: France, Fiji, winner Euro A Pool 2
Pool 3: Tonga, winner repechage, winner Euro A Pool 1

2008 World Cup schedule (possible Wales group matches in bold italic)
Saturday, October 25: Australia v New Zealand
Sunday Oct 26: England v Papua New Guinea
Sunday October 26: Euro A Pool 1 v Tonga
SundayOctober 26 France v Euro A Pool 2
Friday October 31: Fiji v France
Friday Oct 31: Tonga v Repachage
Saturday November 1: New Zealand v Papua New Guinea
Sunday November 2: Australia v England
Wednesday November 5: Euro A Pool 2 v Fiji
Wednesday November 5: Euro A Pool 1 v Repachage
Saturday November 8: England v New Zealand
Sunday November 9: Papua New Guinea v Australia
Monday November 10: Semi-final qualifier for Pool two and Pool three winners
Tuesday November 11: Ranking match, Pool 2 second place v Pool 3 third place
Friday November 14: Ranking match, Pool 2 third place v Pool 3 third place
Friday November 14: Ranking match, Pool 1 fourth place v semi-final qualifier loser
Saturday November 15: Semi-final one
Sunday November 16: Semi-final two
Saturday November 22: Final

article by Ian Golden
19 April 2007