RLWC live updates: ‘Incredibly talented’ Fiji gun signs new NRL deal
Updated . First published at
Key Updates
Latest posts
Tonight’s schedule
All times AEDT
LIVE | England 0-4 Samoa (women)
8.05pm | England v Papua New Guinea (men)
Samoa stunner opens the scoring
Brian To’o eat your heart out!
After blowing the earlier chance, Samoa are on the board courtesy of a stunning try in the corner to Freedom Crichton Ropati.
Coming under heavy pressure from the England defence, Chrichton Ropati lept for the corner and planted it down almost upside down.
That’s as good a winger try as you’ll ever see!
Unfortunately, the wind got a hold of Pauline Piliae-Rasabale’s conversion, and it snuck on the wrong side of the near post.
Freedom Crichton Ropati scored this stunning try to open the scoring for Samoa. Seven
Samoa blow early chance
We had to wait for the start – the players were so keen to get going they were in position about a minute early and we had to wait for the clock to tick over.
It felt for a moment like we were at the cricket.
Anyway, once play began, Samoa were quick on the attack and looked as if they had scored in just the third minute.
But referee Chris Kendall sent it upstairs as no-try, and the Bunker confirmed Destiny Mino-Sinapati dropped the pill over the line.
England get an early let-off.
Live play about to start!
The anthems are underway in Wollongong, where the England and Somoa ladies are about to do battle.
Hard to pick who’s going to win this one – both sides have a thumping win and a thumping loss to their name.
The winner will go through to the semis.
‘Zero chance’: Dearden slaps down ‘frustrating’ Roosters rumours
Cowboys halfback Tom Dearden has again strongly denied there is any truth to whispers of a move to the Roosters, insisting there is “zero chance” he will land in Bondi as Sam Walker’s replacement.
Dearden was quizzed on talk of a move to the Tricolours when he addressed media in Townsville on Friday, ahead of Australia’s World Cup clash with the Cook Islands at Queensland Country Bank Stadium on Saturday night.
Rumours of Dearden leaving the Cowboys for the Roosters have swirled for months because his partner, Millie Oliver, lives in Sydney.
The couple have in recent days welcomed their first child into the world, their baby daughter Dolly June.
Tom Dearden. Nine
‘Incredibly talented’ Fiji gun signs new NRL deal
Fijian flier Brandon Wakeham has just signed a two-year extension with the Manly Sea Eagles in the NRL.
After four seasons as a fringe first-grader with the Bulldogs, Wakeham joined the Tigers in 2023 and then Manly in 2024.
After two seasons in the NSW Cup playing mainly in the halves, he switched to hooker in 2026 and made his first grade return in round two of this season.
He would quickly cement himself as the Sea Eagle's first-choice starting hooker, but is back at No.7 for the Bati.
"Brandon is the type of player every coach wants in their squad. His work ethic is outstanding, his attitude is first-class and he is incredibly tough and resilient," Manly coach Kieran Foran said.
“Brandon is an incredibly talented halfback as we know, and he did an excellent job for the team last season adapting to a new role in the middle … and we are really pleased that he will remain part of the Sea Eagles for the next two seasons."
Brandon Wakeham has signed a two-year extension with the Sea Eagles. NRL Imagery
Daley’s definitive Kangaroos call as hunt for Walters replacement begins
Rugby league legend Laurie Daley has ruled himself out of making a play for the Australian men’s coaching job.
Kevin Walters will step down as Kangaroos coach following the World Cup, as he heads to England to take up a job in the Super League.
It means the ARL will be looking for a new coach, but Daley has no plans to put his hand up.
Blues icon Andrew Johns chats to Laurie Daley (right). Getty Images
Six teams fighting to qualify for semis on wild weekend
Hold on to your hats, rugby league fans. The final pool round of the World Cup is shaping up to be a wild ride.
Australia is the only team in the men’s competition that at this stage has a spot in the semi-finals.
No less than six of the men’s teams will be fighting for final-four qualification over what promises to be a weekend of pulsating rugby league.
Those six teams are New Zealand and Fiji from pool A, and Samoa, Tonga, England and Papua New Guinea from pools B and C.
From left: England’s Herbie Farnworth, Samoa’s Jarome Luai and Fiji’s Api Koroisau. NRL Imagery, Getty Images
Minor miracle that would save England from shock low
The England men need a minor miracle to avoid missing out on the top four at the Rugby League World Cup for the first time ever.
To make it into the semis, they first need to beat the Kumuls tonight. But they also need to do it in a BIG way, also requiring a 68-point swing against Samoa on for-and-against.
And even that's assuming they lose to Tonga on Sunday. The bookies currently have them as $2.25 underdogs, with Tonga at $1.65.
For what it's worth, England will start at $1.02 favourites tonight, with PNG at $16.
Brian McDermott's men did what they needed to against France last week with an 82-0 demolition, having taken 22 minutes to score their first points.
Victor Radley’s England need a big win tonight and other results to go their way to make it to the semis. Getty Images
Welcome!
Hello and welcome to nine.com.au's LIVE coverage of the Rugby League World Cup.
Two more matches tonight from the picturesque WIN Stadium in Wollongong, where England will be in action in both the men's and women's matches.
Follow along for all the updates.
