Fijians prepare for the ‘Battle of the Bati’

With the 2013 Rugby League World Cup just over a year away, the Fiji RL Association has scheduled trials for 1 October.

Billed as the ‘Battle of the Bati’, the trials could even feature NRL-based players such as Wests Tigers’ Marika Koroibete, and Penrith Panthers Wes Naiqama. 

Meanwhile, the Makoi Bulldogs and Sabeto Roosters will contest Fiji’s Vodafone Cup Final.

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Stellar Australian Prime Minister’s side set to face Papua New Guinea

Newcastle Knights’ Akuila Uate and Darius Boyd feature in a strong-looking Prime Minister’s XIII chosen by the Australian Rugby League Commission to play Papua New Guinea on Sunday 23 September.

Brisbane Broncos, who made an early exit from the NRL play-offs, supply the bulk of the players for the Port Moresby match, including Scott Prince and Corey Parker.

Fellow Broncos Justin Hodges and Sam Thaiday are included in the Kangaroos’ train-on squad for the end-of-season Test against New Zealand at Townsville’s Dairy Farmers Stadium on 13 October.

Further players will be added to the VB Kangaroos’ train-on squad as teams are eliminated from the Telstra Premiership Finals Series.

Wales v England ticket offer

Wales Rugby League has announced generous ticket and hospitality packages for this autumn’s Triangular Series with England and France.

Wrexham’s Glyndwr University Racecourse Ground is the venue for Wales’s home game with England on Saturday 27 October.

"We are trying to keep rugby league affordable”, explains General Manager Mark Rowley. “Many of this summer’s events have been out of the reach of most families. This is high class international rugby league at an affordable price."

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A first for France

Congratulations to Catalans Dragons international prop forward Rémi Casti – the first French player to be selected for Super League’s ‘Dream team’.

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Meanwhile, French internationals Julien Rinaldi and David Ferriol have both announced that they will retire at the end of the season and will not, therefore, take part in RLWC2013. 

Details of this autumn’s Alitalia European Cup have been announced by the Rugby League European Federation.
Scotland, Ireland and England Knights will face each other in a triangular tournament beginning on 14^th October when the Celtic nations clash in Edinburgh.    

World Cup qualifiers Italy and the USA suffered mix fortunes at the weekend as they stepped up their preparations for the tournament. An outstanding second-half performance by Russia in Naro-Fominsk saw the hosts leapfrog Italy in the European Shield table, while the USA ran out 28-24 winners over Canada in the Colonkial Cup Series clash in Toronto.