With the teams confirmed today, the 2018 Rugby League Commonwealth Championships will start a new push to be included at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The nine-a-side, pool fixture championship will feature the best 19 to 23 year old rugby league players in Men’s, Women’s and Disability Rugby League competitions.
In the men’s competition, Group A consists of Australia, Wales, Scotland and Fiji, while Group B is Papua New Guinea, England, Tonga and Samoa.
The women’s competition features only 3 teams from the World Cup, helping to expand international women’s rugby league. In Group A is Australia, Samoa and Fiji, and Group B is Canada, Tonga and Cook Islands.
The competition also showcases disability rugby league, with the Australian side playing the Commonwealth All Stars.
While it’s a good push for international rugby league as a whole, it is a fantastic opportunity for the growth of women’s and disability rugby league. Being endorsed by the Commonwealth Games Federation, and being an international preseason competition, will draw significant attention to the game and help to build it on the global scale.
This year, the competition will be held in Queensland’s Moreton Bay, on the 22nd and 23rd of February. For tickets and more information, visit: https://www.visitmoretonbayregion.com.au/rugby-league-9s
