Big year for Rugby League with it being World Cup year, everyone will be wanting to play well to get into their national teams.
Should be a cracking World Cup. The Kiwis have improved a lot since their poor showing in the last World Cup. They twatted the Aussies in the Pacific Championship final in 2023, 0-30, and won it again in 2025. Samoa obviously reached the last World Cup final, put up a good show in the 2025 Pacific Championship final, they are on the rise and will be a threat especially with Tino Fa'asuamaleaui playing for them. Then you have England and Tonga as outside bets.
News this week that Mark Percival is seemingly up for grabs for any club who wants to sign him. Don’t know what’s gone exactly, but I believe talks broke down with his new contract and Rowley Saints and Percival have come to the decision that he’ll no longer be a Saints player.
Sam Burgess has recruited Steve McNamara to come in to work with him at the Wire, and they’ve made some decent signings got rid of a few bad eggs from the squad so expecting better from Wire this season. Although, sad to see there was a young lad hospitalised after the Widnes friendly last month after some serious crowd trouble that stopped the game and spilled out onto the streets after the game.
Hull KR and Wigan will obviously be strong again. Leeds will be up there n’all as they get better with Brad Arthur growing the team there in his mould.
First round of SL fixtures next week:
Rovers play Brisbane in the World Club Challenge the following week:
Then Rovers and Leeds are off to Las Vegas for their game over there the week after that.
Should be a good season.
I also think it’s time we started poaching some talents from Welsh rugby union like the old days. The WRU is in a right mess and none of the Welsh clubs are doing anything in the URC. Super League could be a good prospect for a switch for some of their young talents who would suit playing RL. It should have been something SL clubs looked at over the last few years with 2026 being a World Cup year, aiming to get them in the Wales team. It doesn’t seem to have happened but I think it’s something clubs should look at for the next WC cycle.
Should be a cracking World Cup. The Kiwis have improved a lot since their poor showing in the last World Cup. They twatted the Aussies in the Pacific Championship final in 2023, 0-30, and won it again in 2025. Samoa obviously reached the last World Cup final, put up a good show in the 2025 Pacific Championship final, they are on the rise and will be a threat especially with Tino Fa'asuamaleaui playing for them. Then you have England and Tonga as outside bets.
News this week that Mark Percival is seemingly up for grabs for any club who wants to sign him. Don’t know what’s gone exactly, but I believe talks broke down with his new contract and Rowley Saints and Percival have come to the decision that he’ll no longer be a Saints player.
Sam Burgess has recruited Steve McNamara to come in to work with him at the Wire, and they’ve made some decent signings got rid of a few bad eggs from the squad so expecting better from Wire this season. Although, sad to see there was a young lad hospitalised after the Widnes friendly last month after some serious crowd trouble that stopped the game and spilled out onto the streets after the game.
Hull KR and Wigan will obviously be strong again. Leeds will be up there n’all as they get better with Brad Arthur growing the team there in his mould.
First round of SL fixtures next week:
Rovers play Brisbane in the World Club Challenge the following week:
Then Rovers and Leeds are off to Las Vegas for their game over there the week after that.
Should be a good season.
I also think it’s time we started poaching some talents from Welsh rugby union like the old days. The WRU is in a right mess and none of the Welsh clubs are doing anything in the URC. Super League could be a good prospect for a switch for some of their young talents who would suit playing RL. It should have been something SL clubs looked at over the last few years with 2026 being a World Cup year, aiming to get them in the Wales team. It doesn’t seem to have happened but I think it’s something clubs should look at for the next WC cycle.
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