Rugby League World Cup 2013 Fixtures: Full Schedule for All Groups

The Rugby League World Cup returns for the first time in five years, as 14 nations prepare to battle it out for the coveted prize.

Favourites Australia and main hosts England will pose the biggest threat to defending champions New Zealand when the action kicks off at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday, Oct. 25.

In total there will be 28 matches played across four countries—England, France, Wales and Ireland—with the final being played on Nov. 30 at Old Trafford.

Date, K/O	Group	Venue	Teams
Oct. 26, 2:30 p.m.	A	Millennium Stadium, Cardiff	Australia vs. England
Oct. 28, 8:00 p.m.	A	Spotland Stadium, Rochdale	Fiji vs. Ireland
Nov. 02, 2:30 p.m.	A	The John Smith's Stadium, Huddersfield	England vs. Ireland
Nov. 02, 8 p.m.	A	Langtree Park, St. Helens	Australia vs. Fiji
Nov. 09, 2:30 p.m.	A	The Kingston Communications Stadium, Hull	England vs. Fiji
Nov. 09, 8 p.m.	A	Thomond Park, Limerick	Australia vs. Ireland
Oct. 27, 4 p.m.	B	MS3 Craven Park, Hull	Papua New Guinea vs. France
Oct. 27, 6 p.m.	B	Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington	New Zealand vs. Samoa
Nov. 01, 8 p.m.	B	Parc Des Sports, Avignon	New Zealand vs. France
Nov. 04, 8 p.m.	B	MS3 Craven Park, Hull	Papua New Guinea vs. Samoa
Nov. 08, 8 p.m.	B	Headingley Carnegie Stadium, Leeds	New Zealand vs. Papua New Guinea
Nov. 11, 8 p.m.	B	Stade Gilbert Brutus, Perpignan	France vs. Samoa
Oct. 29, 8 p.m.	C	Derwent Park, Workington	Tonga vs. Scotland
Nov. 03, 4 p.m.	C	Derwent Park, Workington	Scotland vs. Italy
Nov. 10, 4 p.m.	C	The Shay, Halifax	Tonga vs. Italy
Oct. 30, 8 p.m.	D	Memorial Stadium, Bristol	USA vs. Cook Islands
Nov. 03, 2 p.m.	D	Glyndwr University Racecourse Stadium, Wrexham	Wales vs. USA
Nov. 10, 2 p.m.	D	The Gnoll, Neath	Wales vs. Cook Islands
Oct. 26, 4:30 p.m.	C/D	Millennium Stadium, Cardiff	Wales vs. Italy
Nov. 05, 8 p.m.	C/D	Leigh Sports Village, Leigh	Tonga vs. Cook Islands
Nov. 07, 8 p.m.	C/D	Salford City Stadium, Salford	Scotland vs. USA

The 14 teams have been split into four groups, but it’s not a straightforward case of the top two teams in each qualifying for the knockout stages. In fact, Group A and B will see the top three teams advance, leaving two remaining spots for the standout teams in C and D.

Communication manager Martin Johnson told Jonathan Jurejko of BBC Sport that the unusual format is to prevent the “blow-outs” that have been prevalent in previous tournaments.

Johnson said:

"

Every team will go into the group stages thinking they have a chance of winning their group, although that will be a bit harder in the elite groups. But every team in groups C and D has a chance of winning a game and no team should go home without scoring a few tries - and that's better for the supporters and better for the development of the game.

"

There will be plenty of talent on show over the course of the five-week event.

Australia’s Greg Inglis, Billy Slater and Cameron Smith are considered the best to have ever played the game in their respective positions—per Neil Barraclough in the Daily Mail.

England also possess one of the world’s best in their ranks. Sam Tomkins, who will ply his trade in the NRL next season after a world-record breaking move to New Zealand Warriors, will be one to watch when the action starts.

Tomkins led Wigan to Super League glory at the beginning of the month and would love nothing more than to head Down Under with a World Cup success behind him.

But the most popular figure to take to the field will be Sonny Bill Williams.

The New Zealander is a jack of all trades. He won the Rugby Union World Cup with the All Blacks in 2011 before hanging up his boots in favour of boxing gloves.

It turned out to be a successful move when he was crowned the heavyweight champion of New Zealand, and he has now turned his hand to rugby league, where he hopes to become the first player to win world titles in both union and league.