International Rugby League Watchlist

International Rugby League is on the agenda for two more weeks with the big Pacific Championships Super Sunday finals to be set this week.

Circumstances have led to me not being able to dig into Kiwis v Tonga, but we don’t need a lot there. We’ve got a pretty good idea of how both teams will play, and it profiles as a beauty at a loud and colourful Mt Smart Stadium. Expect two big and physical packs to focus on the middle of the field in what could be the most physical game of footy in 2025.

Still, I wanted to get something out there for the footy nerds, so I looked to Samoa v England. My guess is that footy fatigue + an early-morning kickoff = not many people watching.

I did, though, and I’ve got a few things I liked and a couple of things to keep an eye on for those who put the kettle on for an early start (or late finish) on Sunday morning.

How England moved the defensive line to score

There isn’t a lot of preview you can do before an international rugby league fixture these days. It’s often 12 months since the last game, and as we’ve seen in the Kangaroos, Kiwis and Samoan squads, in particular, things look a lot different year-on-year.

It’s more about focusing on yourself and how you want to play, where on the field you want to play from, and the targets in the line to attack. Looking back at how England constructed their attack in the first Test against Toa Samoa, Shaun Wane put a clear focus on Victor Radley’s ball playing and the space inside and outside the four-in defenders.

Radley ended the 2024 NRL season playing on the edge and the Sydney Roosters looked a lot better for it. The halves took more control of the ball playing across the field as Sam Walker and Luke Keary finally started to gel before injuries struck.

However, back into the lock role with England, Radley once again proved how effective he can be as a distributor. He found plenty of success in engaging the defender five-in with a lead inside four.

England’s first two tries came on the back of drop plays to just outside the right posts. They’re looking for a particular number structure in the defensive line and found it with five down the short side and six on the long side.

Radley isn’t asked to do much, but on 5th tackle early in the game, it looks like a scripted play to run it on the last as Harry Smith drops off Ethan Havard before placing himself outside Radley at first receiver.

Perhaps playing to Anthony Milford’s history as a jamming three-in defender, Radley simply shovels the ball on for Herbie Farnworth to score.

While Radley’s impact here is minimal, it sets the table for how England would attack throughout the match.

England’s second try only six minutes later follows a similar pattern. Again, it’s a drop play to just outside the right post. Radley digs into the line this time and with a lead outside him, ties up three defenders in the middle. The Samoan defence does well to close down the shift, but the movement of defenders in the line creates an opportunity.

Izack Tago and Jeremiah Nanai, two of Samoa’s four right-edge defenders are caught up in the tackle and left at marker while big John Asiata is forced to fill in at A on the short side.

Williams sees is straight away and reloads down the short side. Daryl Clark at hooker motions Smith towards the opportunity in the line: Run fast and straight at the tired A defender unable to move up off the line and play for the 2 v 1 out wide.

Clark holds the markers, Smith makes his run, and Williams is in prime position outside Farnworth’s lead to put Matty Ashton over in the corner.

Radley’s play in the middle can go forgotten here, but it’s where the shortside opportunity was ultimately created.

Their fourth followed a similar pattern. Although, it features an uncalled obstruction Samoa deserved. Jazz Tevaga does an excellent job of pushing up from the inside to force a slightly earlier pass from Radley. It throws off the lead runner, who hits Nanai’s outside shoulder before Smith straightens into the space the obstruction created.

The linebreak scrambles the Samoan defence, and Radley himself scores on the following tackle.

Obstruction or not, it shows once again how England planned to move the Samoan defence and how well they executed it on the day.

George Williams and Harry Smith looked good marching England around the field. Williams, in particular, floated to both sides wearing the #6 jersey to finish with three try assists.

The rise of the Pacific nations in international rugby league is a major focus right now. However, a good England can only improve the game further, particularly with the news of the Kangaroos heading on a northern tour in 2025. Provided the second Test is close this week, it’s a win-win for international rugby league regardless of the result.

Keys to victory: PNG Kumuls v Cook Islands Aitu

The Papua New Guinea Kumuls put 22 points on Fiji Bati in Week 1, but it’s worth remembering that two of those tries came via interceptions. Robert Derby got the job done to score one and lay on another, but they’re not repeatable actions in attack the Kumuls can rely on this week.

Their threat otherwise came through the middle, where they scored two tries and were held up on another. With a focus sure to be attacking the edges this week (more to come on that below), I’ll be looking at how Lachlan Lam and Kyle Laybutt construct their actions.

While charging through the middle was enough last week and might well be again this week against the Kuki’s, the development of the Kumuls relies on a little bit more ingenuity with the ball.

Taking over as Kumuls coach this year, the hope is for Jason Demetriou to see it through to the 2026 Rugby League World Cup.

It’s important that the Kumuls get the win as heavy favourites and advance to the Cup final, but every game - for every international team - will be viewed through the lens of the Rugby League World Cup. At least, it should be if we want the tournament to grow into what we hope it can become.

A strong performance from a halves pairing likely to still be there in 2026 would be a significant step forward.

The Cook Islands Aitu keep coming. So much of defence is about attitude, and the Kuki’s have it. However, the structures on their edge will decide much of the game on Sunday.

Fiji Bati scored too easily down the edges last week. The Kuki’s right edge, in particular, struggled to get on the same page with their individual movements, too often working against each other.

First of all, Viliame Kikau is a freak. Nobody is going to stop him every time. Still, if you’re going to provide him with space to skip across, he has the speed, size and strength to beat you in a variety of ways.

Here, he’s able to skip past the three-in defender to engage two, and the winger is caught in a difficult 2 v 1 decision.

It was a different story later in the match as the Kuki’s do a better job of applying pressure from inside the three-man, but the winger jams on a cue that isn’t really there. Brad Takairangi and Delahia Wigmore have navigated the shape to slide off but Kurt Donogue is going to take that opportunity to float one over the top 10 times out of 10 and execute on most of them.

It’s an incredibly difficult area to get right in a short space of time. Look through the best NRL defences, and you’ll see cohesion and experience play a major factor. Still, it’s something to keep an eye on in the early stages with the Kumuls sure to test them early.