Rugby League World Cup 2022: The good, the bad and the ugly
😃 The good: Kangaroos play for first time in three years
😔 The bad: No room for Dylan Edwards and Nicho Hynes
😡 The ugly: New numbering system for jerseys
The Rugby League World Cup kicks off this weekend, with Australia the raging favourites to engrave their name on the Paul Barriere Trophy.
However their preparation has been plagued by some unwanted distractions and criticism over selections and the numbers the players will wear on their jerseys.
Australia to play first Test match since 2019
Fans will finally get to see the Kangaroos play a Test match for the first time in three years when the Aussies take on Fiji on Sunday morning (Australian time).
The gap between Test matches should have been shorter, but Australia and New Zealand withdrew from the World Cup just months before its scheduled start in October last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Australia and New Zealand were branded “selfish, parochial and cowardly" at the time, with the decision coming after London had hosted the European football Championship, the English Premier League was opening to crowds, and the Australia and New Zealand rugby union teams were planning their annual tours of Britain's packed stadiums.
The World Cup avoided being scrapped but was delayed for a year.
MORE GOOD:
Dylan Edwards and Nicho Hynes miss out on selection
Australia has brought 13 newcomers to the World Cup in the UK, but there was no room in the squad for Dylan Edwards and Nicho Hynes despite their stellar seasons.
Cronulla halfback Hynes won the Dally M medal with a record 38 votes, while Edwards was Clive Churchill medallist for his outstanding performance for Penrith in their grand final thrashing of Parramatta.
Edwards also finished fourth in Dally M voting, but Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga couldn't find room for either of them in his 24-man squad.
Fans were left fuming over the decision, while veteran journalist Phil Rothfield tweeted: "Cannot recall a Kangaroos World Cup team being chosen without the Dally M Medal winner and the Clive Churchill Medal winner".
MORE BAD:
Kangaroos cop criticism over jersey numbering system
A decision from organisers to scrap the traditional jersey numbering system has gone down like a lead ballon, with fans and commentators condemning the move.
Instead of wearing numbers based on positions, the Kangaroos will instead be numbered according to when they made their debut for Australia - the only exception being James Tedesco, who will still wear No.1 because he is captain.
Daly Cherry-Evans will wear No.2 because he made his debut the earliest in 2011, while Ben Hunt will wear No.3.
The 13 uncapped players will wear the remaining numbers and be ordered alphabetically, with Penrith co-captain Isaah Yeo set to don the No.24.
Rothfield described the new system as a 'disgrace', while Kangaroos great Steve Renouf said he was 'shattered' by the move away from tradition.
Meninga has since revealed the Kangaroos' hierarchy had no say in the change and slammed the new system.
This is Australia’s team for first @RLWC2021 game
The numbering is a disgrace. pic.twitter.com/Ii50k0EMnj— BUZZ ROTHFIELD (@BuzzRothfield) October 11, 2022
MORE UGLY:
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