Women’s World Cup draw confirmed

The groups for next year’s Women’s World Cup have been finalised.

The top two teams from each pool will compete in the semi-finals.

England have been drawn to face Australia and the Cook Islands in Pool A in the group stages of the tournament.

In Pool B New Zealand will play Papua New Guinea and Canada.

Next year is the fifth staging of the competition, and it will be held concurrently with the men’s tournament for the first time in the sport’s history, with group games and semi-finals all played at Cronulla Sharks‘ Southern Cross Group Stadium.

Both the women’s and men’s Rugby League World Cup finals will then be played as a double-header at Brisbane Stadium on December 2, 2017.

New Zealand have never failed to make the final of the World Cup, winning the first edition against Great Britain in 2000, before claiming the 2005 and 2008 titles against Australia, but the Jilaroos are the reigning world champions after they overcame the Kiwis 22-12 at Headingley in 2013.

The Pools for the tournament will be:

Pool A:

Australia, England, Cook Islands

Pool B:

New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Canada

Group fixtures will be announced in the coming months.