Rugby League World Cup 2017 draw: Every game, every venue

THE draw for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup has been officially released with the Kangaroos to take on England, France and Lebanon in the pool stages.

Cameron Smith and the Kangaroos will be out to defend their Rugby League World Cup crown at the 2017 tournament. Picture: Gregg Porteous

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THE draw for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup has been officially released with the Kangaroos to take on England, France and Lebanon in the pool stages.

A bumper clash with England in Melbourne will kick off the tournament with the match against France to take place in Canberra before their final pool match against Lebanon in Sydney.

With 11 of the 14 qualifying nations already locked in, the tournament organisers have adopted the same pool method as the 2013 tournament.

Sydney will host just two matches with Lebanon playing England and Australia at Allianz Stadium.

Brisbane has fared far better with a semi-final and the final, as in the 2008 tournament.

All of New Zealand’s pool matches will be on home soil while Melbourne will host two matches - the tournament opener between England and Australia and a quarter-final.

The rugby league outposts of Perth and Darwin will also host matches with Darwin allocated a quarter final.

Auckland will host the other semi-final.

Rugby League World Cup 2017 draw

POOLS

Pool A: Australia, England, France, Lebanon

Pool B: New Zealand, Samoa, Scotland, Tonga

Pool C: Papua New Guinea, European Qualifier 1, European Qualifier 2

Pool D: Fiji, USA, European Qualifier 3

Rugby League World Cup pool matches

Oct. 27: Australia vs. England at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium

Oct. 28: PNG v euro Q1 at Port Moresby (venue TBA)

Oct. 28: New Zealand vs. Samoa at Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland

Oct. 28: Fiji vs. USA at Townsville Stadium

Oct. 29: Scotland vs. Tonga at Barlow Park, Cairns

Oct. 29: euro Q2 vs. euro Q3 at Barlow Park, Cairns

Oct. 29: France vs. Lebanon at Canberra Stadium

Nov. 03: Australia vs. France at Canberra Stadium

Nov. 04: New Zealand vs. Scotland at Christchurch Stadium

Nov. 04: Samoa vs. Tonga at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton

Nov. 04: England vs. Lebanon at Sydney Football Stadium

Nov. 05: PNG vs. euro Q2 at Port Moresby (venue TBA)

Nov. 05: euro Q3 vs. USA at Townsville Stadium

Nov. 05: Fiji vs. euro Q1 at Townsville Stadium

Nov. 10: Fiji vs. euro Q3 at Canberra Stadium

Nov. 11: Samoa vs. Scotland at Barlow Park, Cairns

Nov. 11: New Zealand vs. Tonga at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton

Nov. 11: Australia vs. Lebanon at Sydney Football Stadium

Nov. 12: PNG vs. USA at Port Moresby (venue TBA)

Nov. 12: euro Q1 vs. euro Q2 at Perth Rectangular Stadium

Nov. 12: England vs. France at Perth Rectangular Stadium

Rugby League World Cup finals

Nov. 17: Quarter-Final at Darwin Stadium

Nov. 18: Quarter-Final at Christchurch Stadium

Nov. 18: Quarter-Final at Wellington Regional Stadium

Nov. 19: Quarter Final at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium

Nov. 24: Semi-Final at Brisbane Stadium

Nov. 25: Semi-Final Mt Smart, Auckland

Dec 2: Final at Brisbane Stadium

Originally published as Rugby League World Cup 2017 draw: Every game, every venue