First WC win since 2013

LONDON: France got their Rugby League World Cup campaign off to a good start after defeating debutant side Greece 34-12 on Monday (local time).
Halfback Arthur Mourgue scored 18 points from a second-half try and seven goals in France’s first World Cup victory since 2013.
Greece was far from outclassed and threatened the French tryline. Greece’s moment to remember was in the 56th minute when center Siteni Taukamo pounced on a neat kick through French lines to score their first World Cup points. Lachlan Ilias added the extras.
They rounded off their big night in style when center Nicholas Mougios surged half the length of the field for Greece’s second try on the final play.
France took 10 minutes to make any sort of impression when Jordan Dezaria squeezed through a gap in the Greek defence.
Greece responded with sustained pressure following Taukamo’s burst from behind his own tryline to halfway, but they failed to capitalise.
France extended its lead when Mourgue’s kick behind caused panic and Tony Gigot sneaked in to touch down as two Greek players fumbled their attempt to shepherd the ball out of touch.
Benjamin Jullien added a third converted try to put France 20-0 up at the break, and Mourgue crossed himself after a neat layoff from Mickael Goudemand.
Taukamo’s big moment drew a rousing cheer from the Doncaster crowd, and Jullien grabbed his second try in the 75th.
France skipper Benjamin Garcia was immense for his side at lock, taking home the player of the match award, but Arthur Mourgue was the unsung hero of the match.
Mourgue controlled the game off the boot, setting up tries with perfectly weighted kicks across the park and kicking all five conversions.
The 23-year-old five-eighth is one of five players boasting a perfect record with the boot after the opening six matches of the World Cup.
– Yahoo Sports

Collins ready to carry on family legacy for Australia

LONDON: Lindsay Collins was nearly moved to tears as he recalled the daily reminder of the legacy he carries when he goes into the meeting room at the Australian team’s hotel.
The 26-year-old Sydney Roosters prop is expected to make his Kangaroos debut in the Rugby League World Cup on Saturday (local time) when Australia face Scotland in Coventry.
Less than 12 months on from “learning to run again” after a knee injury, Collins will get the chance to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather Lionel Williamson and play for the national team.
Williamson, a winger who featured in the 1968 and 1970 Kangaroos’ World Cup triumphs alongside the likes of Eric Simms and Bob Fulton, has his name inscribed on a roll of honour at the team hotel.
“To see his name up there #429 … it’s hard to get an Australian jersey, and then you’ve got two in your family that have got it. That’s pretty emotional,” Collins said.
“It’s pretty cool to see it when I come in every morning.
“I don’t know if he’s got my number. We’ll see after the Scotland game, he’ll probably give me a few pointers and tips on what I need to do better.
“He told me about all his war stories, (touring) was like a three-month boat ride in those days.”

Milford, Doueihi cop one-match suspensions in World Cup

LONDON: The Rugby League World Cup match review panel handed suspensions to Samoa halfback Anthony Milford and Lebanon halfback Adam Doueihi following their opening games.
Milford received a one-match penalty notice for a grade A dangerous contract charge.
He was sin-binned in their 6-60 loss to England in Newcastle for a late hit on England skipper Sam Tomkins.
Milford is likely to miss Samoa’s match against Greece next week.
After a disappointing loss to England in the opener, Samoa still have France and Greece to play in group A. It is looking unlikely that they will finish top though given their embarrassing defeat to England in Newcastle.
Meanwhile, Doueihi will miss Lebanon’s vital clash with Ireland in Leigh on Sunday. The match review panel gave him a one-match penalty notice for Grade A foul and/or abusive language to a match official. He was sent off for the offence in their 34-12 defeat to New Zealand in Warrington.
Lebanon face Ireland and Jamaica in their two remaining group games. They would have to win both games if they are to progress to the knockout stages.

Tabuai-Fidow to leave Samoan camp, return home

BRISBANE: Samoa winger Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow is on his way back to Australia after suffering an ankle injury in the Rugby League World Cup opener against England on Sunday (local time).
Tabuai-Fidow is set to join the Dolphins for the 2023 National Rugby League season and the club released a statement yesterday saying their medical staff have already taken charge of treatment of the 21-year old’s injury.
A Dolphins physiotherapist has received a preliminary report on the injury from Samoan medical representatives.
Tabuai-Fidow will be seen by a specialist immediately upon his arrival back in Australia.
“He is yet to have a scan but it is obviously a decent injury as he has been sent home straight away,” said Dolphins head of performance Jeremy Hickmans.
“But the reality is we won’t know what grade of injury it is until he has a scan and it can be assessed.”
Meanwhile, Kangaroos debutant Reuben Cotter will miss Australia’s second pool game against Scotland after suffering a head knock in his side’s 42-8 victory over Fiji on Sunday.
The Cowboys forward was taken from the field in the second half of the match after a head clash with rival prop Tui Kamikamica.
Cotter will be unavailable for Australia’s next match under a mandatory 11-day stand-down policy.
Kamikamica was also sent for a head injury assessment after the incident which he passed, as did Viliame Kikau earlier in the second half.
Apart from losing Tabuai-Fidow, Samoa will also be without Tyrone May for the rest of the tournament after he dislocated his hip against England. The former Panther who now plays for Catalans in the English Super League was sent to hospital to have the hip put back in and faces a long stint out of the game.
Samoan forward Braden Hamlin-Uele also suffered a leg injury on a horror start for the Samoans.
– NRL.com.au

French coaching staff happy

LONDON: The French coaching staff that includes Roosters boss Trent Robinson were pleased with their 34-12 win over Greece, knowing that a win was vital in their bid to reach the quarterfinals, with games against England and Samoa still to come.
France raced to a 20-0 lead within 35 minutes and cruised to the finish line, but Greece added two clever tries late on, the latter an early contender for try of the tournament.
“We’ve been ruthless in the first half, and then controlled the game,” head coach Laurent Frayssinous said afterwards.
Frayssinous was joined by the Roosters supercoach Robinson, who was appointed as director of rugby in 2020.
“I like our work, I thought we worked really hard, I really enjoyed the forwards, I felt like they controlled the ruck really well and got over the advantage line well,” Robinson said.
“I thought it was quite clinical. We tried some stuff that we’ve been working on, and there’s a bit of work to do.”
Meanwhile, Greece coach Steve Georgallis said he was extremely proud of his side’s performance against an experienced French outfit.
– 9 News

Kangaroos, Scotland match to go ahead

LONDON: Rugby League World Cup organisers say they have had written reassurances that Saturday’s (local time) Australia-Scotland clash at Coventry will go ahead as planned.
Rugby union club Wasps, who own the stadium, entered administration on Monday after being unable to pay off their debts with 167 players and staff made redundant.
They were suspended from the Gallagher Premiership last week after becoming the second club to become insolvent in 21 days leaving their home stadium in question for the World Cup match.
The stadium hosted the rugby sevens tournament during the Commonwealth Games earlier this year.
But responding to fans on Twitter, World Cup organisers said: “The World Cup team has received written reassurances that the group B fixture between Australia and Scotland will take place as scheduled at the Coventry Arena.
“We are continuing to work closely with the Stadium, as well Coventry City Council and associated partners to ensure that ticket holders receive the full Rugby Leaguetend.”
– Love Rugby League