So round 2 is all over (as you will all be aware I’m sure). The second round of matches was a bit of a dud at times with no competitive ties. There were a few hammerings doled out by Australia, Samoa, Fiji and New Zealand - all to be expected but still disappointing given the gap between Fiji and Italy in particular. In the ties that could have been competitive, Ireland were disappointing vs Lebanon in what should have been the tie of the round going down 32-14, while the Cook Islands gave PNG a scare in the first half before they were comfortably beaten in the end 32-16 in tonight’s game.
It means the final group stage games have very little jeopardy left. We know with near certainty the 4 group winners (England, New Zealand, Australia and Tonga) and we also know that Lebanon and Fiji will 99% be in the quarters with them, I’ll still watch the New Zealand vs Ireland game with interest just in case New Zealand rest players and make hard work of the tie but Lebanon will hammer Jamaica regardless. PNG have a potential banana skin game vs a plucky Wales side who haven’t disgraced themselves vs Cook Islands or Tonga but could probably rest players and still finish 2nd place, even with a loss as I don’t see Cook Islands beating Tonga (I’ll caveat that by saying Tonga are already through to the quarter finals so may rest players - especially as it still isn’t clear which side out of England and Samoa you want to avoid in the next round). The one hard to pick game will be in Group A where France take on Samoa in a winner takes all game to get a Quarter final match up vs Tonga. Samoa showed what they can do vs Greece at the weekend but Greece are arguably the weakest side in the tournament, while France have a squad full of super league players. It should be a Samoa win but France did fair better vs England than Samoa managed so who knows.
As for England, it’s been a comfortable tournament so far in what looked the toughest group of the lot, making easy work of Samoa and France. Rugby League fans keep talking about 6 foot 7 winger Dom Young who only turned 21 year old a few months ago. Comparisons are already being made with Martin Offiah with some hoping he might be the sports first British star to break through into the wider public’s consciousness since Robinson, Offiah and to a lesser extent Long. While I personally expect him to end up trying his hand at Rugby Union, he does have star power and might become the best winger in the world. He is on fire this tournament and we will no doubt need his scores to get passed Tonga/Samoa and Australia/New Zealand in the knock out stages.
