2018 Rugby League Commonwealth Championship

The 2018 Rugby League Commonwealth Championship was a rugby league nines tournament organised by the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) to be played in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia in February 2018. The event, featured eight men's teams, six women's teams and three physical disability teams, was one of the exhibition sports for the 2018 Commonwealth Games and was in support of the bid for rugby league nines to be a full medal event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.^[1][2]

The tournament was dominated by Australia, who won all three competitions.^[3][4]

Competing nations and pools[]

The 2014 tournament limited the men's competition to under-18 players. For this competition the upper age was increased to make the tournament an under-23 competition.^[5]

Fixtures[]

All the games were played at Dolphin Stadium, home of Queensland rugby league side, Redcliffe Dolphins, on 23 and 24 February. All the pool games in the men's and women's teams were played on 23 February with the play-offs and medal matches played on 24 February. In the physical disability tournament four match were played on the first day with two more and the gold medal match played on the second day.^[7]

All times are Queensland local time, UTC+10:00.

Women's tournament[]

Pool A[]

Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	+/−	Pts
Australia	2	2	0	0	50	4	+46	4
Samoa	2	1	0	1	28	32	−4	2
Fiji	2	0	0	2	6	48	−42	0

23 February 2018	Fiji	6 – 24	Samoa
11:05am	Tries: Paulini Korowaqa Goals: Wainikiti Deqku (1)		Tries: Atasi Lafia (2), Shontelle Stowers (2), Christine Pauli, Sarah Togatuki

23 February 2018	Australia	26 – 4	Samoa
2:10pm	Tries: Ali Brigginshaw (2), Karina Brown, Nakia Davis-Welsh, Rikeya Horne, Corban McGregor Goals: Maddie Studdon (1)		Tries: Maitua Feterika

23 February 2018	Australia	24 – 0	Fiji
7:05pm	Tries: Chelsea Baker, Annette Brander, Nakia Davis-Welsh, Corban McGregor, Maddie Studdon Goals: Tallisha Harden (1), Maddie Studdon (1)

Pool B[]

Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	+/−	Pts
Tonga	2	2	0	0	20	8	+12	4
Cook Islands	2	1	0	1	24	24	0	2
Canada	2	0	0	2	16	28	−12	0

23 February 2018	Canada	4 – 8	Tonga
11:30am	Tries:		Tries: (2)

23 February 2018	Cook Islands	4 – 12	Tonga
2:45pm	Tries: Toka Natua		Tries: Takilele Katoa, Joy Tedeschi Goals: Takilele Katoa (1), (1)

23 February 2018	Canada	12 – 20	Cook Islands
5:40pm	Tries: Allana Fittes, Janai Haupapa,		Tries: , , Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate, Jean-Shannel Robati

Semi-finals and play-offs[]

24 February 2018	Australia	14 – 8	Cook Islands
11:35am	Tries: Nakia Davis-Welsh, Isabelle Kelly, Corban McGregor Goals: Brittany Breayley (1)		Tries: , Mazelina Haurua

24 February 2018	Tonga	0 – 20	Samoa
12:00pm			Tries: Maitua Feterika, , , Shontelle Stowers, Sarah Togatuki

24 February 2018 5th place play-off	Canada	16 – 12 (extra time)	Fiji
1:50pm	Tries: Andrea Burk, Justine Pelletier, Stevi Schnoor,		Tries: Ema Adivitaloga, Paulini Korowaqa, Sereama Nagatalevu

24 February 2018 Bronze medal play-off	Cook Islands	20 – 0	Tonga
4:00pm	Tries: (2), , Kimiora Nati, Apii Nicholls-Pualau

24 February 2018 Gold medal play-off	Australia	14 – 8	Samoa
4:25pm	Tries: Chelsea Baker, Nakia Davis-Welsh, Zahara Temara Goals: Zahara Temara (1)		Tries: , Shontelle Stowers

Men's U23 tournament[]

Pool A[]

Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	+/−	Pts
Australia	3	3	0	0	92	4	+88	6
Fiji	3	2	0	1	30	38	−8	4
Scotland	3	1	0	2	34	50	−16	2
Wales	3	0	0	3	4	68	−64	0

23 February 2018	Fiji	14 – 10	Scotland
12:05pm	Tries: Sam Kurukitoga, Netani Narisia, Joeli Vulavou Goals: Roseru Naiwasetawa (1)		Tries: Curtis Faughlin (2) Goals: (1)

23 February 2018	Australia	32 – 0	Wales
12:30pm	Tries: Paul Momirovski (3), Corey Allan, , , Kotoni Staggs Goals: Corey Allan (1)

23 February 2018	Australia	36 – 0	Scotland
3:10pm	Tries: Corey Allan (2), (2), (2), Kotoni Staggs Goals: Kotoni Staggs (2), (1), (1)

23 February 2018	Fiji	12 – 4	Wales
3:35pm	Tries: Sam Kurukitoga, Netani Narisia, RT Timoli		Tries: Liam Silver

23 February 2018	Scotland	24 – 0	Wales
6:05pm	Tries: (2), Justin Faughlin, , Goals: (2)

23 February 2018	Australia	24 – 4	Fiji
7:30pm	Tries: Corey Allan, , , Kotoni Staggs Goals: (1), Kotoni Staggs (1)		Tries: RT Timoli

Pool B[]

Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	+/−	Pts
Tonga	3	3	0	0	54	26	+28	6
Samoa	3	2	0	1	52	46	+6	4
England	3	1	0	2	28	44	−16	2
Papua New Guinea	3	0	0	3	30	48	−18	0

23 February 2018	Tonga	22 – 8	Samoa
10:15am	Tries: (2), Joseph Kaufusitua, Sosaia Talivakaola Goals: Sione Tonga (1)		Tries: Tom Sau, Frank Toomalatai

23 February 2018	England	10 – 28	Samoa
12:55pm	Tries: Tyler Spence, Cole Walker-Taylor Goals: Tyler Spence (1)		Tries: Poasa Faamausili, Maliko Filino, Tom Sau, Marli Sini, Ken Tofilau, Frank Toomalatai Goals: Arthur Crichton (1), Marli Sini (1)

23 February 2018	Papua New Guinea	12 – 20	Tonga
1:45pm	Tries: Paul Nelson (2), Yabra Kuk		Tries: (2), Mali Lepou, Goals: Joseph Kaufusitua (1), Netane Masina (1)

23 February 2018	Samoa	16 – 14	Papua New Guinea
4:50pm	Tries: Poasa Faamausili, Jordan Seumanu, Denzal Tonise, Frank Toomalatai		Tries: Dickson Amea, Paul Nelson, John Ragi Jnr Goals: Paul Nelson (1)

23 February 2018	England	6 – 12	Tonga
5:15pm	Tries: Cole Walker-Taylor Goals: Cole Walker-Taylor (1)		Tries: Taealoaloa Amone, , Myles Taueli

23 February 2018	England	12 – 4	Papua New Guinea
	Tries: Darrion Ball, Samuel Rotchford, Daniel Sowerby		Tries: Ilias Stanley

Semi-finals and play-offs[]

24 February 2018	Scotland	16 – 14	Papua New Guinea
10:45am	Tries: Davey Dixon, Curtis Faughlin, Ali Olivier Goals: (2)		Tries: Dickson Amea, John Ragi Jnr, Standford Talita Goals: Dickson Amea (1)

24 February 2018	England	8 – 10	Wales
11:10am	Tries: Frankie Halton, Gregory Howland		Tries: Liam Silver (2) Goals: Paul Edwards (1)

24 February 2018	Australia	18 – 10	Samoa
1:00pm	Tries: Conor Carey, , Paul Momirovski Goals: (1), (1), Kotoni Staggs (1)		Tries: Arthur Crichton, Frank Toomalatai Goals: Arthur Crichton (1)

24 February 2018	Tonga	22 – 6	Fiji
1:25pm	Tries: Taealoaloa Amone, , George Ili, Sione Tonga, Arthor Tupou Goals: Netane Masima (1)		Tries: Penaia Aeveltue Goals: RT Timoti

24 February 2018 7th place play-off	Papua New Guinea	0 – 14	England
2:15pm			Tries: Gregory Howland, Liam Quinn, Tyler Spence Goals: Owen Restall (1)

24 February 2018 5th place play-off	Scotland	16 – 10	Wales
2:40pm	Tries: Davey Dixon, , Goals: (2)		Tries: Karlin Claridge, Paul Edwards Goals: Paul Edwards (2)

24 February 2018 Bronze medal play-off	Samoa	20 – 6	Fiji
5:25pm	Tries: Arthur Crichton, Nathan Leatigaga, Charlton Schaafhausen, Alex Seve, Frank Toomalatai		Tries: RT Timoli Goals: RT Timoli (1)

23 February 2018 Gold medal play-off	Australia	14 – 8	Tonga
5:50pm	Tries: , Conor Carey, Kotoni Staggs Goals: (1)		Tries: , Isileli Uilou

Physical disabilities tournament[]

Pool stage[]

Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	+/−	Pts
Australia	4	3	1	0	18	0	+18	7
New Zealand	4	1	2	1	4	6	−2	4
Commonwealth All Stars	4	0	1	3	0	16	−16	1

23 February 2018	New Zealand	4 – 0	Commonwealth All Stars	(field 2)
10:40am	Tries: Lisa Adams

23 February 2018	Australia	8 – 0	Commonwealth All Stars
1:20pm	Tries: Craig Anderson, Mitchell Gleeson

23 February 2018	Australia	4 – 0	Commonwealth All Stars	(field 2)
3:10pm	Tries: Mitchell Gleeson

23 February 2018	Australia	6 – 0	New Zealand
6:40pm	Tries: Kyle Lloyd Goals: George Tonna (1)

24 February 2018	New Zealand	0 – 0	Commonwealth All Stars
10:20am

24 February 2018	Australia	0 – 0	New Zealand
12:35pm

Play-off[]

24 February 2018	Australia	0 – 0	New Zealand
3:05pm

Australia were declared the gold medalists due to having a better pool result.

Leading try-scorers[]

• Men's U23: (7)
• Women's: Nakia Davis-Welsh, , Shontelle Stowers (4)
• Physical disability: Mitchell Gleeson (2)

References[]