Key Points
- Australia and Fiji have officially announced their respective squads for the upcoming Rugby League World Cup following England’s squad reveal earlier in the day.
- Leeds Rhinos overseas star Maika Sivo is a notable absentee from the Fiji squad for the tournament.
- Both Australia and Fiji have been placed in Pool A, meaning Brian McDermott’s England side will not face either nation until at least the semi-final stage if they progress.
- Australia enter the tournament as heavy favourites under incoming St Helens boss Kevin Walters, having won all but one World Cup over the past 50 years.
- The Kangaroos have been dealt major selection blows, missing Penrith Panthers pair Dylan Edwards and Nathan Cleary due to injury, alongside several other high-profile omissions including star winger Mark Nawaqanitawase.
Leeds (The Leeds Times) October 5, 2026 — Following England’s Rugby League World Cup squad announcement this morning, opposition nations Australia and Fiji have also confirmed their selections ahead of the tournament.As reported by Sam Brocksom of Serious About Rugby League, Brian McDermott’s men won’t face either of those nations until at least the semi-final stage, should they progress that far, with both the Kangaroos and the Bati named in Pool A for the competition. Australia, led by incoming St Helens boss Kevin Walters, are the favourites for the tournament, having won all bar one World Cup for the past 50 years.
Who has missed out on selection for Fiji and Australia?
Fiji’s best-ever finish in the tournament was the semi-finals in 2017, where they were beaten 54-6 by Australia. While both nations have selected players familiar to fans of Super League, Leeds Rhinos star Maika Sivo was notably absent from Fiji’s squad selection. Meanwhile, the Kangaroos have been dealt a major blow with Penrith Panthers pair Dylan Edwards and Nathan Cleary missing the tournament through injury.
As detailed by Sam Brocksom of Serious About Rugby League, Walters has made nine changes from the squad that travelled to England last year for the Ashes. While last autumn permitted a 24-man squad, this year’s tournament rules state that only 23 players can be named. Including Edwards and Cleary, a total of nine players from last year’s squad have been dropped. Star winger Mark Nawaqanitawase is the headline omission, alongside Josh Addo-Carr, Angus Crichton, Gehamat Shibasaki, Lindsay Smith, Ethan Strange, and Hudson Young.
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Background of the particular development
The latest squad announcements mark a crucial milestone in the build-up to the Rugby League World Cup, intensifying international rivalries as nations finalise their 23-man rosters under strict tournament regulations. With Australia historically dominating the global landscape—claiming every World Cup trophy except one over the last half-century—their squad selection undergoes intense scrutiny, especially when forced into changes by injuries to marquee playmakers like Nathan Cleary and Dylan Edwards.
Concurrently, Pacific nations like Fiji continue to grow in competitiveness, drawing heavily on elite talent from both the NRL and Super League, making squad omissions like Leeds Rhinos’ Maika Sivo major talking points for fans and pundits alike.
Prediction
These squad developments significantly shape the competitive balance of Pool A and the knockout stages of the tournament. For English supporters and the national team management, the confirmation that Australia and Fiji share Pool A means the host nation or leading European contenders will avoid these Southern Hemisphere powerhouses until the business end of the competition in the semi-finals. However, Australia’s squad overhaul—featuring nine changes and forced adaptations due to key injuries—might offer a slight vulnerability or bedding-in period that opposing coaches will look to exploit.
For Super League followers, the absence of prominent overseas club stars like Maika Sivo alters the tactical dynamic for Pacific sides, potentially shifting reliance onto emerging talents as global rugby league prepares for an unpredictable and fiercely contested global showcase.
