By Rich Cowley, Date: 26/10/17 (Photo Credit: NRLPhotos)
Venue: Barlow Park, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
Kick-off time: 29th October 2017 4.15pm (Local Time)
With the RLIF just releasing World Rankings overnight this match will see Scotland (Ranked 4th) go up against Tonga (Ranked 11th). If you were a punter in the street you would have thought the RLIF got the rankings back to front.
Tonga will go into this match as hot favourites with Scotland getting a 30 plus head start by some betting agencies. Grouped with Samoa and New Zealand, Tonga will fancy their chances of finishing top of their Pool.
The Tongan side is full of NRL talent and Scotland will find it hard to contain their big forwards and speedy fast backline.
Scotland were one of the first teams to automatically qualify for the World Cup after winning the 2014 European Championship and landing a place in the 2016 Four Nations.
Let’s not underestimate the Bravehearts who did draw with the Kiwis in the 2016 4 Nations Tournament.
Danny Brough will lead the team around the park and with his great kicking game he might just be able to work a miracle when they run out in Cairns.
Scotland 2017 RLWC Team:
1 Lewis TIERNEY
2 Matthew RUSSELL
3 Ben HELLEWEL
4 Lachlan STEIN
5 Will OAKES
6 Danny BROUGH (c)
7 Danny ADDY
8 Luke DOUGLAS
9 Kane BENTLEY
10 Ben KAVANAGH
11 Frankie MARIANO
12 Dale FERGUSON
13 James BELL
14 Callum PHILLIPS
15 Andrew BENTLEY
16 Sam BROOKS
17 Johnny WALKER
18 Alex WALKER
19 Jarred ANDERSON
20 Kieran MORAN
21 Brandan WILKINSON
Tonga 2017 RLWC Team:
1 William HOPOATE
2 Daniel TUPOU
3 Michael JENNINGS
4 Konrad HURRELL
5 Manu VATUVEI
6 Tuimoala LOLOHEA
7 Mafoa’aeata HINGANO
8 Andrew FIFITA
9 Siliva HAVILI
10 Sio Siua TAUKEIAHO
11 Manu MA’U
12 Sika MANU (c)
13 Jason TAUMALOLO
14 Sione KATOA
15 Sam MOA
16 Peni TEREPO
17 Ben MURDOCH-MASILIA
18 Joe OFAHENGAUE
19 Solomone KATA
20 David FUSITUA
21 Samisoni LANGI
