FIXTURES AND TV COVERAGE
Sunday, October 16, Jamaica vs Ireland, Headingley, Leeds, 5pm
Sunday October 16, New Zealand vs Lebanon, Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington, 7.30pm
Saturday, October 22, New Zealand vs Jamaica, MKM Stadium, Hull, 7.30pm
Sunday, October 23, Lebanon vs Ireland, Leigh Sports Village, 2.30pm
Friday, October 28, New Zealand vs Ireland, Headingley, Leeds, 7.30pm
Sunday, October 30, Lebanon vs Jamaica, Leigh Sports Village, 12pm
IRELAND
Squad: James Bentley (Leeds Rhinos), Keanan Brand (Leigh Centurions), Liam Byrne (Wigan Warriors), Ed Chamberlain (Leigh Centurions), Josh Cook (Canterbury Bulldogs), Frankie Halton (Hull KR), James Hasson (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Jaimin Jolliffe (Gold Coast Titans), Luke Keary (Sydney Roosters), Joe Keyes (Halifax Panthers), Toby King (Warrington Wolves), George King (Hull KR), Ben Mathiou (Featherstone Rovers), James McDonnell (Wigan Warriors), Ronan Michael (York City Knights), Robbie Mulhern (Warrington Wolves), Richie Myler (Leeds Rhinos), Dan Norman (St Helens), Henry O’Kane (Wests Tigers), Harry Rushton (Huddersfield Giants), Innes Senior (Huddersfield Giants), Louis Senior (Hull KR), Michael Ward (Batley Bulldogs).
Team Colours: Green and White
Head Coach: Ged Corcoran
Captain: George King
Most capped squad member: George King (10)
Players with previous World Cup experience: Ed Chamberlain, James Hasson, Joe Keyes, George King
Shooting star: Backrower Harry Rushton was born in Blackpool and came through the Wigan Academy system, making his Warriors debut in 2020 as a teenager before joining Canberra Raiders for two years from 2021, playing three first-team games in 2022. Due to join Huddersfield Giants in 2023, the World Cup will give him the chance to show what he has to offer the Giants.
Host town: Leeds
Odds (Betfred): 500/1
JAMAICA
Squad: Jordan Andrade (unattached), Mo Agoro (Keighley Cougars), Chevaughn Bailey (Duhaney Park Red Sharks), Joe Brown (Workington Town), Jy-Mel Coleman (unattached), Joel Farrell (Sheffield Eagles), Ashton Golding (Huddersfield Giants), Bradley Ho (Keighley Cougars), Greg Johnson (Batley Bulldogs), Aaron Jones-Bishop (Cornwall RLFC), Ben Jones-Bishop (Sheffield Eagles), Michael Lawrence (Huddersfield Giants), Abevia McDonald (London Skolars), Khamisi McKain (Duhaney Park Red Sharks), Jacob Ogden (York City Knights), Ross Peltier (Dewsbury Rams), Kieran Rush (Huddersfield Giants), Andrew Simpson (Duhaney Park Red Sharks), Marvin Thompson (Duhaney Park Red Sharks), Keenen Tomlinson (Dewsbury Rams), Renaldo Wade (Duhaney Park Red Sharks), AJ Wallace (Bradford Bulls), James Woodburn-Hall (Halifax Panthers), Alex Young (Workington Town).
Team Colours: Yellow jerseys with green shorts and socks
Head Coach: Romeo Monteith
Captain: Joe Brown
Most capped squad member: Joe Brown (12)
Players with previous World Cup experience: None
Shooting star: Young Giants hooker Kieran Rush signed his first professional contract in September last year and spent time in 2022 with Swinton and Rochdale. He will be out to make an impression for the Reggae Warriors to demonstrate that he has a Super League future.
Host town: Leeds
Odds (Betfred): 2,000/1
LEBANON
Squad: Jalal Bazzaz (Wests Illawarra), Adam Doueihi (Wests Tigers), Hanna El-Nachar (Penrith Panthers), Toufic El-Hajj (American University of Beirut), Elie El-Zakhem (Parramatta Eels), Atef Hamdan (Wolves, Lebanon), Kayne Kalache (Newtown Jets), Andrew Kazzi (Western Suburbs Magpies), Jacob Kiraz (Canterbury Bulldogs), Bilaal Maarbani (Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles), Anthony Layoun (St Marys Saints), Josh Mansour (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Josh Maree (Wentworthville United), Tony Maroun (Ryde-Eastwood Hawks), Abbas Miski (Wigan Warriors), Brandon Morkos (Canberra Raiders), Mitchell Moses (Parramatta Eels), Jaxson Rahme (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Khalil Rahme (Mt Pritchard Mounties), Khaled Rajab (Canterbury Bulldogs), Reece Robinson (unattached), James Roumanos (Manly Sea Eagles), Mikey Tannous (Wests Tigers), Charbel Tasipale (Newtown Jets).
Team Colours: Dark green, red and white
Head Coach: Michael Cheika
Captain: to be decided
Most capped squad member: Abbas Miski (9)
Players with previous World Cup experience: Adam Doueihi, Andrew Kazzi, Anthony Layoun, Bilaal Maarbani, Abbas Miski, Mitchell Moses,
Shooting star: Mitchell Moses appeared on the losing side in last week’s NRL Grand Final and he will have to bring his best form to the World Cup if the Lebanese team is to make an impression in a highly competitive group.
Host town: Leigh
Odds (Betfred): 500/1
NEW ZEALAND
Squad: Nelson Asofa-Solomona (Melbourne Storm), Jesse Bromwich (Melbourne Storm), Kenneath Bromwich (Melbourne Storm), Dylan Brown (Parramatta Eels), James Fisher-Harris (Penrith Panthers), Kieran Foran (Manly Sea Eagles), Peta Hiku (North Queensland Cowboys), Jahrome Hughes (Melbourne Storm), Sebastian Kris (Canberra Raiders), Moses Leota (Penrith Panthers), Isaac Liu (Gold Coast Titans), Joseph Manu (Sydney Roosters), Jeremy Marshall-King (Canterbury Bulldogs), Ronaldo Mulitalo (Cronulla Sharks), Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (Canberra Raiders), Briton Nikora (Cronulla Sharks), Marata Niukore (Parramatta Eels), Isaiah Papali’i (Parramatta Eels), Jordan Rapana (Canberra Raiders), Brandon Smith (Melbourne Storm), Scott Sorensen (Penrith Panthers), Joseph Tapine (Canberra Raiders), Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Sydney Roosters), Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (New Zealand Warriors).
Team Colours: Black with a White V
Head Coach: Michael Maguire
Captain: Jesse Bromwich
Most capped squad member: Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (32)
Players with previous World Cup experience: Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Jesse Bromwich, Kenneath Bromwich, Kieran Foran, Peta Hiku, Isaac Liu, Jordan Rapana, Joseph Tapine, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
Shooting star: Halfback Jahrome Hughes has been a vital cog in the wheels of Melbourne Storm since the retirement of Cooper Cronk and he has the potential to be a genuine World Cup star in this year’s tournament
Host town: York
Odds (Betfred): 7/2
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