The winner of this year’s Women’s Rugby League World Cup, which is now just 100 days from kick off, will hold aloft a new World Cup trophy as unveiled by tournament organisers in Cronulla earlier today.
Sharks Captain Ruan Sims on hand to help deliver the trophy in a Sutherland Shire Lifeguard rescue buggy at a special event held at Wanda Beach which also signified 100 days to the start of the event.
Rugby League World Cup 2017 CEO Andrew Hill said today marked an exciting milestone not only for this year’s Women’s Rugby League World Cup but the game in general.
“Women’s Rugby League continues to go from strength to strength and in 100 days from now we will witness the best players contest for the title of 2017 World Cup winners.
“With this year’s tournament being the first ever standalone Women’s Rugby League World Cup, both the tournament organising committee and the Rugby League International Federation thought it only appropriate to introduce this impressive trophy that will herald in a new era for women’s Rugby League.
“With the support of the Australian, New South Wales and Queensland Governments along with Major Partner Harvey Norman, we look forward to delivering the best ever Women’s Rugby League World Cup,” concluded Hill.
Australia, England and Cook Islands have been drawn in Pool A with New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Canada in Pool B. The top two from each Pool will progress to the semi-finals, with the top placed team from Pool A playing the runners-up of Pool B and vice versa.
Sims, who is also the Harvey Norman Jillaroos captain, said the team knows they will have to be at their best to retain their World Cup title.
“Our preparation for this year’s World Cup started the moment we returned from England in 2013. The hunger to go back to back is a collective goal of all associated with the Harvey Norman Jillaroos and the carrot of playing in a home World Cup has taken our sport to the next level,” Sims said.
“It’s heart-warming to see how far women’s Rugby League has grown and evolved across all levels over the past four years and this progress has been acknowledged with the staging of a standalone Women’s Rugby League World Cup.
“I’m sure I speak on behalf of all teams when I say we can’t wait to play in front of large crowds at Southern Cross Group Stadium in Sydney and compete for the opportunity to hold aloft the brand-new trophy in Brisbane as 2017 World Cup winners,” concluded Sims.
The pool matches of this year’s tournament will be played at Southern Cross Group Stadium as triple-headers on November 16, 19 and 22 with the semi-finals to be played as a double-header on November 26 at the same venue.
Both the men’s and women’s finals will be staged as a double-header at Brisbane Stadium on 2 December 2017 – the first time two World Cup winners will be crowned on the same day, on the same stage.
Tickets to the pool matches and semi-finals are just $10 for adults per match day, with Juniors 15 years and under plus concession card holders free at the gate, while tickets to the men’s and women’s Rugby League World Cup 2017 finals day start from $40 for children/concessions, $70 adults and $180 for a family of four.
Australia are the reigning champions with the Kiwi Ferns claiming the title in 2000, 2005 and 2008.
All games of this year’s Women’s Rugby League World Cup will be shown in Australia (Seven Network), New Zealand (SKY Sport) and Papua New Guinea (EMTV).
