Super League World Cup round-up | Week 4

All eyes on England 

England marched on in both the Men's and Women's Rugby League World Cups with Betfred Super League players integral to their dominant performances.

The Women's team kicked off their campaign with a clinical 72-4 win over Brazil at Headingley Stadium, with Leeds Rhinos captain Courtney Winfield-Hill securing the Player of the Match award after touching down three times.

St Helens centre Amy Hardcastle also completed a treble, while Tara-Jane Stanley finished with 24 points from eight goals and two tries.

Just as impressive in coach Craig Richards' team's performance was the platform laid by a hard-working pack, with Jodie Cunningham, Emily Rudge, Vicky Molyneux, Olivia Wood and Vicky Whitfield all running for well over 100 metres.

It was a similar story five days later as the team travelled to Wigan's DW Stadium, where Canada were this time brushed aside 54-4.

Stanley added another 22 points through a hat-trick and five goals, Hollie Dodd and Leah Burke grabbed doubles and full-back Fran Goldthorp touched down for the second consecutive game after another involved performance. 

Richards' side now face Papua New Guinea this week to determine who tops Group A ahead of the Semi-Finals.

After that win over Saturday, the Men's then team the field at Wigan and proved just as impressive, completely sweeping aside PNG in the opening stages on their way to a 46-6 win.

St Helens winger Tommy Makinson was undoubtedly the star with five tries - the first England player to score five tries in a single match - and five goals, while Salford's Kallum Watkins and Warrington half-back George Williams also touched down.

? A five star performance from five try Makinson!

Watch all of Tommy Makinson's record breaking tries.#RLWC2021 | @England_RL pic.twitter.com/DECnCBUc0l
— Rugby League World Cup 2021 (@RLWC2021) November 5, 2022

Huddersfield prop Chris Hill continued his excellent tournament with another big stint up front, while off the bench, Morgan Knowles topped the tackle count with 32 and no misses.

That result meant the end of the road for Super League's Kumuls contingent of Rhyse Martin, Nene Macdonald, Lachlan Lam and Edwin Ipape, and it was the same for Fiji later that evening - although not before they gave New Zealand a huge scare.

Huddersfield-bound Kevin Naiqama produced a sparkling display at centre with two tries but it wasn't quite enough as the Kiwis secured a late 24-18 win.

Will Hopoate and Tui Lolohea are also out after Tonga were beaten 20-18 by Samoa in a thriller at Warrington; Super League trio Danny Levi, Tim Lafai and Ligi Sao all playing a part in the win as they now prepare to face England again.

Wigan winger Abbas Miski also reached the end of the line as Lebanon went down to 48-4 Australia on Friday night, though he and the Cedars have plenty of positives to focus on from the last three weeks.

Super League Player of the Week 

Tara-Jane Stanley, the current Betfred Super League Woman of Steel, racked up five tries, 13 goals and 46 points in England's opening two wins over Brazil and Canada. The York City Knights player - starting at centre for her country - has been a constant threat with the ball in hand out wide and a key part of coach Craig Richards' attacking arsenal.

? What a second-half from Tara Stanley!

Three tries after the break, including a massive hand-off #RLWC2021 | #ENGCAN | @England_RL pic.twitter.com/0GcY1gSnlx
— Rugby League World Cup 2021 (@RLWC2021) November 5, 2022

Super League Team of the Week

1. Fran Goldthorp (England)
2. Tara Moxon (Papua New Guinea)
3. Kevin Naiqama (Fiji)
4. Tara-Jane Stanley (England)
5. Tommy Makinson (England)
6. Courtney Winfield-Hill (England)
7. George Williams (England)
8. Chris Hill (England)
9. Danny Levi (Samoa)
10. Shona Hoyle (England)
11. Emily Rudge (England)
12. Morgan Knowles (England)
13. Vicky Molyneux (England)

Super League Quote of the Week

"We know England are favourites, they deserve it and they've been firing every game - even in the quarters they wiped PNG away. It's going to be a tough ask but we've got to focus on us this week and the little things we can fix." Salford's Samoan centre Tim Lafai is relishing taking on England on Saturday.

Super League Ones to Watch this week

Almost all Super League eyes will be on the two England teams this week as the Men's side look to book their place in the RLWC2021 final, and the Women aim to secure top spot in their group ahead of the knock-out stages. 

Both teams have been dominant so far, but face their biggest tests to date against Samoa and Papua New Guinea respectively. Both will be keen to maintain the high standards they have set as the stakes rise in the two competitions.

Super League presence does remain elsewhere in facing England - Samoan trio Danny Levi, Tim Lafai and Ligi Sao have become key men for their improving side, and Leeds Rhinos three-quarter Tara Moxon with the Papua New Guinea Orchids.

?? Historymakers.

Samoa have made their first ever Rugby League World Cup semi-final.#RLWC2021 pic.twitter.com/Zg2u487iVa

— Rugby League World Cup 2021 (@RLWC2021) November 6, 2022

They will be fully aware of the threat posed by their competition counterparts in what promises to be an intriguing two matches for the national side.

Super League Key Battle of the Week

Plenty was made about the battle between talented young stand-offs Jack Welsby and Jarome Luai before the Rugby League World Cup opener in Newcastle, and it was the England man who emerged the clear winner with a five-star performance in his side's 60-6 win. 

But since then Luai has been one of the most influential players in the tournament as Samoa have recovered to make the Semi-Finals, and nobody is expecting a similarly one-sided clash this weekend.