Australia will open the defence of their rugby league crown in a testing clash against England while New Zealand face Samoa after the draw was made yesterday for the 2017 Rugby World Cup.
The powerhouses of the game will meet in Melbourne on October 27 in Pool A, which also features France and Lebanon. The Kiwis, who Australia smashed 34-2 in the 2013 final at Manchester’s Old Trafford, begin their campaign in Auckland a day later in Pool B that includes Scotland and Tonga.
Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, where rugby league is the national sport, co-host the tournament that culminates with the final in Brisbane on December 2. “Rugby league is truly a game for everyone. We hope the Rugby League World Cup 2017 leaves a legacy for the game that sees it continue to grow and dominate the sporting landscape,” said the tournament’s chief executive Michael Brown.
Games will be hosted in more than a dozen locations to give as many fans as possible a chance to see some live action, including Canberra, Darwin, Christchurch, Auckland and Port Moresby.
“Over the course of the pool stages we have looked to position matches in strong rugby league communities and where large populations of expats, Pacific and indigenous fans live,” said Brown. “The decision to take matches to places like Darwin, Perth, Christchurch and Port Moresby were made with the future of the game in mind. They are matches we believe will give profile to the sport in markets that have already shown an appetite for rugby league.”
Pool C features Papua New Guinea and two others coming from a European qualifying tournament later this year, with Wales, Ireland, Russia, Serbia, Italy and Spain in contention. Fiji, the United States and a third European nation fill out Pool D.

THE FIXTURES
October 27: Australia v England
(Melbourne)
October 28: PNG v Euro Q1 (Port Moresby); New Zealand v Samoa (Auckland); Fiji v USA (Townsville)
October 29: Scotland v Tonga (Cairns); Euro Q2 v Euro Q3 (Cairns); France v Lebanon (Canberra)
November 3: Australia v France (Canberra)
November 4: New Zealand v Scotland (Christchurch); Samoa v Tonga (Hamilton); England v Lebanon (Sydney)
November 5: PNG v Euro Q2 (Port Moresby); Euro Q3 v USA (Townsville); Fiji v Euro Q1 (Townsville)
November 10: Fiji v Euro Q3 (Canberra)
November 11: Samoa v Scotland (Cairns); New Zealand v Tonga (Hamilton); Australia v Lebanon (Sydney)
November 12: PNG v USA (Port Moresby); Euro Q1 vs Euro Q2 (Perth); England v France (Perth)
November 17: Quarter-final (Darwin)
November 18: Quarter-final (Christchurch); Quarter-final (Wellington)
November 19: Quarter-final (Melbourne)
November 24: Semi-final (Brisbane)
November 25: Semi-final (Auckland)
December 2: Final (Brisbane).