Australia has suffered a major blow to it’s chances of retaining the World Cup title after centre Justin Hodges was ruled out of the tournament due to injury.
Australia has suffered a major blow to it’s chances of retaining the World Cup title after centre Justin Hodges was ruled out of the tournament due to injury.
The Brisbane Broncos star succumbed to a shoulder injury and will have surgery next week to repair it.
Kangaroos fans are said to be hopping mad at the prospect of the motherland, England, winning the World Cup trophy for the first time since 1972.
Matt Cooper is viewed by some in the media as the hot priced favourite to replace Hodges though other names are being thrown around.
Michael Jennings was one name being mentioned despite Jennings being listed in the Tongan team in the Rugby League World Cup preview guide.
Tongan officials are said to be checking the eligibility rules a week after coach Jim Dymock branded the World Cup’s eligibility rules “a joke” in the wake of losing Anthony Tupou to Australia.
Tupou was named in the Tonga squad after originally being overlooked by the Kangaroos but an injury to Michael Crocker resulted in him being called up by Australia.
Parramatta prop Fuifui Moimoi and Wests Tigers winger Taniela Tuiaki were also ruled ineligible to represent the Pacific Island nation after switching their playing allegiances to New Zealand last year.
Meanwhile some Irish fans may need to attend anger management classes after learning that their team received alternative treatment on the flight to Australia on Monday.
While Irish officials took their seats in cattle class (economy), England boarded the same flight in business class.
A British Rugby Football League spokesman said “it's all to do with the funding that each team has available.”
