Some great news overnight as we got confirmation that the 2021 Rugby League World Cup will go ahead. The Australian Rugby League sought assurances from tournament organisers that every effort would be made to protect the health of players and allow players free movement to travel to and from England without government lockdowns being applied….
In some really disappointing news the NZRL have announced that it has cancelled the Rugby League test match between the New Zealand Kiwis and Tonga that was scheduled for the end of the year. Citing restrictions in travel due to COVID19 and the need for players to have to isolate for an entire month to…
You have to hand it to the Rugby League International Federation, they can come up with some nutty ideas that seemingly have no connection to what we see on the field. Take the newly released “Rugby League World Ranking” which have been put out this evening. New Zealand has moved past Australia into top spot…
It was one of the most incredible moments in International Rugby League, Tonga winning their first ever test match over the Australian Kangaroos by a scoreline of 16-12. In front of a sea of red and white flags waved by Tongan supporters at Eden Park in Auckland, the Tongan Rugby League team joined New Zealand,…
In this episode we look at all the international games from the weekend. We look ahead to next weeks game, and just have a general chat about international footy! We would love your feedback on this episode so if you have anything to say just email us at podcast@leaguefreak.com You can also follow Andrew Ferguson and The Glorious League…
In this episode we do a review of all the international Rugby League player over the weekend. Including the Jillaroos vs the Kiwi Ferns, the Kangaroos vs the Kiwis, Australia A’s big win over France, Tonga’s domination of Great Britain, Scotland on fire against Serbia, Spain hosting Ireland and a fiery clash between Malta and…
Tonga has again proved their strength in International Rugby League with a dominating 14-6 victory over a battered and bruised Great Britain side. Tesi Nui was outstanding for Tonga on debut, looking as cool as you like at fullback. The Tongan forward pack meanwhile tore through the British forwards, leading Great Britain on the back…
The newly formed Tonga Rugby League has named a full strength squad ahead of the Pacific Cup and clashes with the British Lions. Kristian Woolf will have a very good squad at his disposal. Tongan Rugby League Test Squad John Asiata Andrew Fifita Addin Fonua-Blake David Fusitu’a Siliva Havili Ata Hingano William Hopoate Konrad Hurrell…
In this episode we discuss the possible return of Israel Folau to Rugby League via the Tongan test side and the possible moves by the RLIF to block him. We then talk about Sam Burgess’ apology and the reason why a five minute sin bin would be a terrible idea. To take the OFFICIAL Fergo…
After being sacked by Rugby Australia for an instagram post that claimed everyone that wasn’t Israel Folau was going to hell, then looking to get support from punters for his legal challenge to his sacking via crowd funding, now Israel Folau can add strike breaking scab to his list of reasons why people don’t like…
On this Mad Monday edition of Fergo and The Freak we talk about Phil Goulds review of the St George/Illawarra Dragons, agreeing with Phil Rothfield, the Wests Tigers securing that all important 9th place on the ladder, Tongan Rugby League in CRISIS, who is worse than Matthew Elliott at coaching, and Brookvale Oval…..THE GROUND IS…
Dates and venues have been announced for the Oceania Cup and Great Britain Lions Tour of 2019. The Jillaroos and Kiwi Ferns will play alongside the Kangaroos and Kiwi’s in a historic match at WIN Stadium at Wollongong. The same weekend will feature a great game between Great Britain and Tonga in New Zealand which…
Here is a list of the Rugby League mid season internationals for 2019. All times listed below are local times for the venues involved. Cook Islands vs South Africa Friday 21st June 2019, 19:00pm Ringrose Park Wentworthville, Sydney New Zealand vs Tonga Saturday 22nd June 2019, 5:40pm (NZ Time) Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand…
He is one of the hottest properties in the NRL and already in demand by a number of clubs looking to capture his signature, but Tevita Pangai Jr has his sights set on one thing right now, playing for Tonga in international Rugby League. Pangai Jr was born in Sydney and as such is eligible…
It may be hard to imagine but it wasn’t that long ago that the likes of Tonga, Samoa and Fiji would struggle to put together 17 professional Rugby League players of any quality. Over the last 30 years Rugby League has seen these nations go from producing the occasional top level professional player, to producing…
We are just hours away from a new look Australian Kangaroos team taking on New Zealand in a rare test match played in New Zealand. It should be a good game, but honestly, it isn’t the match that I am most excited about this off season. When Australia plays Tonga next week, then I will…
There was a lot of debate heading into the World Cup as to what was the point of the competition, with Australia seemingly streets ahead of every other nation, including England and New Zealand, and destined to once again pick up the trophy in a one-sided competition. Of course, the Kangaroos were the eventual champions,…
One of the big things that came out of the 2013 Rugby League World Cup was the clear message that supporters of the game were giving administrators. Give us more international Rugby League. Heading into this weekend, plenty of people were saying the Australia vs New Zealand test match was a waste of time. Even…
Tonga has defeated the Cook Islands 22-16 in a very good game that has big implications for the World Cup quarter finals. Tonga was supposed to put a big score on the Cook Islands. For most of the first half however the Cook Islands were giving Tonga all sorts of problems. Isaac John was sensational…
Every so often something funny happens on the footy field that you just can’t let pass by without re-visiting. One of those occurrences happened in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup match between the Cook Islands and Samoa. With both teams needing a win to keep their chances alive, the Cook Islands were playing well….
Scotland has defeated Tonga 26-24 in what is easily the biggest upset of the World Cup so far. Tonga exploded out of the blocks and an easy try early in the match seemed to confirm what most people thought, that this game would be very one sided. However Tonga played some very lazy football in…
The 2013 Rugby League World Cup kicks off in a few weeks time and it should be a fantastic tournament that brings people together from many different parts of the world. It should be a moment in which Rugby League celebrates the real work that has been put in to get Rugby League established in…
At present a lot has been said about Origin ruining Club Football weekends as we have only 4 lacklustre games played per Origin weekend and only to keep broadcasters happy though most of these games are shells of themselves. For example Roosters vs. Bulldogs was Sonny Bill’s return to the Kennel at ANZ Stadium the…
The British and Irish Lions Rugby Union team is currently touring Australia. While Rugby Union in Australia might be a small sport that struggles to get a share of the spotlight, crowds have been good for their tour matches as Rugby Union fans come out of the woodwork and support the game. Steve Mascord this…
I think most people would agree that the SOO concept needs a bit of a revamp. Both to keep interest from a growing ‘non-Australian’ contingent of players and supporters (predominantly New Zealanders and Pacific Islanders) and to minimise the impact on NRL clubs, in a tight competition. Once again after only 1 origin game, we’ve…
Australia, New Zealand and England poach talent from other countries, and then they dare to suggest that no other country can offer them a decent contest, so they refuse to play anyone else. That is the current situation in international Rugby League right now. You have a bunch of growing Rugby League nations playing games…
With Rugby League in Australia now predicted to generate an average of $270 million dollars per year the game administrators have an opportunity to do something they have not been able to even think about for a very long time. Building a legacy. While clubs grants will be raised along with the salary cap, Rugby…
So what is a Rugby League World Cup supposed to be about? It’s an interesting question and one that could have a thousands different answers. For me a Rugby League World Cup has always been about the countries I don’t normally get to see. In fact, in any international competitions we have in our game,…
The Four Nations finally start next week as Australia and New Zealand look to tune up over the next few weeks with an eye on the final. We’ve had a couple of big name injuries this week, but hardly crushing blows. I had heard on the radio that PNG would be training at Blacktown today….
As Akuila Uate, a Fijian born and raised player who only recently moved to Australia, was selected by the ARL to represent that Australian Prime Ministers XIII against Papua New Guinea, people who took any interest in seeing international Rugby League retain any credibility were up in arms. Having played for Fiji within the last…