By Rich Cowley, Updated: 24/10/17
Teams: Fiji v USA
Venue: Townsville Stadium, Queensland, Australia
Date: 28th October 2017
Kick-off time: 7.40pm (Local Time)
2017 RLWC TV viewing information: Channel 7 will broadcast all 2017 RLWC games in Australia on Free to Air TV. BBC Will broadcast RLWC games across the UK. Sky Sports will Broadcast all RLWC matches in New Zealand. Fiji TV will Broadcast all matches RLWC matches across the Pacific Islands. EM TV will broadcast all RLWC matches across PNG. Astro will broadcast all RLWC matches across Malaysia. PCCW will broadcast all RLWC matches across Hong Kong. DAZN will broadcast all RLWC matches across Japan. OSN Sports will broadcast all matches across the Middle East. Fox Sports will broadcast all matches across the United States.
Overview: The Fiji Bati will be ready to go when they take on the USA in Townsville. The Bati just completed a warm up match against both PNG and Australia. Playing the warm up game in Suva was a perfect way to get the team ready for the humid conditions of North Queensland. With the likes of Jarryd Hayne and Kevin Naiqama in the ranks along with a host of other top flight players the Bati will go into this game as favourites.
When the USA took part in the 2013 RLWC they fielded a bunch of players with NRL and Super League experience. This time round the USA have gone for home grown players who have been playing in the local competition or running around for the Wolfpack. The USARL are looking at growing the game long term back home. A pathway for players to make it into the national side and play in a World Cup is a must. The USA will be the underdogs in this game but don’t tell that to the players who have travelled all the way down under to win.
2017 RLWC Fiji v USA
Fiji 2017 RLWC Team:
1 Kevin NAIQAMA (c)
2 Suliasi VUNIVALU
3 Taane MILNE
4 Akuila UATE
5 Marcelo MONTOYA
6 Jarryd HAYNE
7 Henry RAIWALUI
8 Ashton SIMS
9 Apisai KOROISAU
10 Kane EVANS
11 Viliame KIKAU
12 Korbin SIMS
13 Tui KAMIKAMICA
14 Joe LOVODUA
15 Jacob SAIFITI
16 Eloni VUNAKECE
17 Petero Benjamin NAKUBUWAI
18 Brayden WILIAME
19 James STORER
20 Junior ROQICA
21 Pio SECI
USA 2017 RLWC Team:
1 Corey MAKELIM
2 Ryan BURROUGHS
3 Junior VAIVAI
4 Jonathan ALLEY
5 Wing Bureta FARAIMO
6 Kristian FREED
7 Matthew WALSH
8 1 Eddy PETTYBOURNE
9 David MARANDO
10 Mark OFFERDAHL (c)
11 Danny HOWARD
12 Matt SHIPWAY
13 Nicholas NEWLIN
14 Sam TOCHTERMAN-TALBOTT
15 Andrew KNEISLY
16 Steve HOWARD
17 Gabriel FARLEY
18 Charles JOSEPH CORTALANO
19 Joe EICHNER
20 David ULCH
21 Joshua RICE
