Rugby League – Worldwide Sports News

May 12, 2024

Nathan Cleary set to miss State of Origin series due to hamstring injury

NSW Blues’ half-back expected to be sidelined for eight weeks
Playmaker re-injured hamstring in Penrith’s win over Canterbury

NSW half-back Nathan Cleary could miss the entire State of Origin series after scans confirmed a grade two hamstring injury that will sideline him for eight weeks. The champion Penrith playmaker re-injured his right hamstring in ther Panthers’ 16-10 win over Canterbury on Friday night in a devastating blow for the Blues, who have a number of other key players sidelined through injury.

Cleary left the field just before half-time after hurting the hamstring for a second time is as many months, with the Panthers issuing a statement on Sunday confirming the diagnosis. “Scans revealed a grade 2 hamstring tear which will see Cleary ruled out for eight weeks,” the club said in a statement.

May 9, 2024

Super League’s new era makes the grade as Warrington hold off Rovers

There is a spread of genuine title contenders like never before – a remarkable endorsement of the strength of Super League

Rugby league’s new beginning under IMG and the gradings system that will determine which 12 teams play in Super League every year has, understandably, focused attention on the bottom of the table this year. There is genuine doubt and uncertainty over around half a dozen clubs in Super League and the Championship about who will make the grade in 2025.

But for all the drama IMG hopes to manufacture at the bottom, it is at the top of the table where all the intrigue and fascination lies this year. Super League has never had it this good when it comes to competitiveness among the competition’s elite clubs.

May 7, 2024

Australia poised to win race to host Rugby League World Cup in 2026

France 2025 was called off due to financial concerns
Australia understood to have won tender process

Australia are the frontrunners to win the race to host the next Rugby League World Cup in 2026, with an announcement expected about the rearranged tournament in the near future, the Guardian understands.

The next World Cup was originally scheduled to take place in France next year before the organisers pulled out, citing financial reasons. They were unable to meet stricter financial criteria laid out by the new French government, which meant the event was in danger of running at a loss.

May 3, 2024

NRL player Keith Titmuss died after ‘inappropriate’ training session, coroner finds

Manly player likely died from exertional heatstroke, inquest heard
Coroner recommends acclimatisation period after off-season

A coroner has urged the NRL to review its heat policies following the “devastating” death of a Manly Sea Eagles player from heat exhaustion after an “inappropriate” pre-season training session.

Keith Titmuss, 20, suffered a seizure after a gruelling indoor workout session at the Sydney club’s northern beaches base on 23 November 2020.

May 2, 2024

Wigan bounce back with dominant Super League display against Catalans

Wigan 30-8 Catalans
Warriors score 24 unanswered second-half points

Given the standards Wigan have set in the past couple of years, there was plenty of intrigue over how they would perform here after the disappointment of their defeat to Hull Kingston Rovers last Friday.

The coach, Matt Peet, and his players made no secret of how poor they were in that loss and while off-colour performances are inevitable from time to time in a marathon Super League season, it is how sides respond to those setbacks that arguably define them the most. To that end, this was an emphatic box ticked by the Warriors.

May 1, 2024

Super League cuts number of head collisions after tackle height law change

Early data shows new tackle height laws have reduced incidents
Number of players diagnosed with concussion yet to come down

Super League has successfully reduced head collisions by a significant margin in the opening weeks of the new season after an overhaul of the sport’s tackle height laws.

The Rugby Football League approved a number of changes during the winter designed at better protecting players and minimising contact with the head, introducing stricter punishments for players who make head contact in a tackle. The changes were met by a backlash in the early weeks of the season, but early data seen by the Guardian has shown they are making a difference.

April 25, 2024

Jonny Lomax’s late drop goal completes St Helens comeback over Huddersfield

St Helens 13-12 Huddersfield
Saints recover from 12-0 deficit to go top of Super League table

Jonny Lomax’s last-minute drop goal secured a dramatic victory for St Helens against in-form Huddersfield Giants, moving Paul Wellens’ side joint-top of the Super League table in the process.

The Saints did not lead all evening until the very final minute of a dramatic contest. Trailing 12-0 midway through the first half, it was Huddersfield, who came into this game on a run of five successive victories, who looked favourites to go on and win. However, the Saints rallied with tries from Tommy Makinson and Daryl Clark to level the scores at 12-12.