The Baskerville Shield has finished on a high with England coming out victorious and edging closer to the number two spot on the RLIF Rankings.

A new era in Belgian Rugby league is beckoning and squads for the Americas World Cup qualifiers have been named in yet another eventful week in international rugby league.

England claim Baskerville Shield

England have fought off New Zealand to retain the Baskerville Shield after defeating the world number one Kiwis 20-14.

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The scoring started early with Gareth Widdop kicking a penalty goal.

Jason Nightingale came close to scoring in the 17th minute only for the video referee to disallow the effort after Peta Hiku knocked on in the build-up to the play.

The first try was scored eight minutes later when Raiders recruit Elliot Whitehead found Matty Smith’s kick to score.

New Zealand got one back however with Jason Nightingale scoring on the sideline showing he won’t be retiring anytime soon with his acrobatic skills.

England went into the break in the lead 8-6.

The 24,741 strong crowd at DW Stadium didn’t witness another try until the 63rd minute when Elliot Whitehead beat three Kiwis defenders to score his second.



Sean O’Loughlin backed it up with a try to extend England’s lead to fourteen points with just nine minutes left in play.

Jason Nightingale showed his skill again by throwing a no-look pass to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck to score in the 74th minute.

Jordan Kahu kept the Kiwis alive just four minutes later after picking up a wide kick but it wasn’t enough in the end with the Lions coming away 20-14 victors.

England 20 (Tries: E.Whitehead 2, S.O’Loughlin; Goals: G.Widdop 4/4) defeated

New Zealand 14 (Tries: J.Nightingale, R.Tuivasa-Sheck, J.Kahu; Goals: I.Luke 1/3)

Squads announced for Americas qualifiers

The Hawks, Wolverines and Reggae Boys have all named their initial train-on squads for the Rugby League World Cup 2017 Americas Qualifiers to be held in Florida in December.

After defeating the USA Hawks to win the Colonial Cup, the Canada Wolverines have named Sunshine Coast Falcons star Ryley Jacks as part of their train-on squad. He will be joined by brother and Magpies rival Rhys Jack as well as young Easts Tigers half Tom Dempsey.

Hawks coach Brian McDermott has named four-time representative Tui Samoa who spent 2015 playing in Group 9 with the fifth-placed Young Cherrypickers. Kristian Freed also joins him in the side.

Bradford winger Omari Caro will star for the Reggae Boys’ and hope to use his speed to help Jamaica to their first ever Rugby League World Cup.



The squads are as follows

USA Hawks: Taylor Alley (Central Florida Warriors), Luke Barron (Mitchelton Panthers), Ryan Burroughs (NOVA Eagles), Sam Carson (Norths Devils), Casey Clark (Philadelphia Fight), Abe Cogen (New York Knights), CJ Cortalano (New York Knights), Kristian Freed (Mitchelton Panthers), Jared Frymoyer (Philadelphia Fight), Rich Henson (Philadelphia Fight), Danny Howard (Wentworthville Magpies), Steve Howard (Wentworthville Magpies), Taylor Howden (Mid-West Stockyarders), Andrew Kneisly (Philadelphia Fight), Roman Lowery (Philadelphia Fight), Nick Newlin (Atlanta Rhinos), Mark Offerdahl (London Broncos), Jon Purnell (Jacksonville Axemen), Tui Samoa (Young Cherrypickers), Mike Timpano (Philadelphia Fight), Matt Walsh (Connecticut Wildcats), Kevin Wiggins (Delaware Black Foxes) Canada Wolverines: Chad Bain (Bradford Dudley Hill RLFC), Eddie Bilborough (Toronto City Saints), Antoine Blanc (Toronto City Saints), Daniel Blasco-Morris (Valley Warriors), Steve Bouchard (Jamberoo Superoos), Trent Bourke (Abbotsford Griffins), Alex Boyd (Capilano Cougars), Tom Dempsey (Easts Tigers), Tom Clancy (Toronto Centurions), Jonathan Cregg (Toronto Centurions), Michael Cregg (Toronto Centurions), Billy Gemmell (Brantford Broncos), Rhys Jacks (Souths Logan Magpies), Ryley Jacks (Sunshine Coast Falcons), Austin Karius (Capilano Cougars), Jamie Kelly (Surrey Beavers), Robin Legault (Toronto Centurions), Jamie Lester (Toronto Centurions), Denny McCarthy (Burlington Centaurs), Christian Miller (Brantford Broncos), Steve Piatek (Brantford Broncos), Louis Robinson (London Skolars), Rick Schouten (Valley Warriors), Adam Timler (Valley Warriors), Enoch Wamalwa (Toronto City Saints), Matt Wyles (Toronto Centurions) Jamaica: Mo Agoro (Hunslet Hawks), Roxroy Alcott (Spanish Town Vikings), Chevaughn Bailey (GC Foster College), Antonio Baker (Mico University College), Hamish Barnes (Keighley Cougars), Richie Barnett (Hunslet Hawks), Alex Brown (Batley Bulldogs), Joseph Brown (Newcastle), Lamont Bryan (Lescure), Igzio Bynnes (Mico University College), Demetrius Campbell (Liguanea Dragons), Nathan Campbell (University of Technology), Romaen Campbell (Duhaney Park Red Sharks), Omari Caro (Bradford Bulls), Jahdeek Clarke (Vauxhall Rugby Club), Ethon Dwyer (Jamaica Defence Force), Lemor Ellis (Spanish Town Vikings), Joel Farrell (Dewsbury Rams), Ryan Grant (GC Foster College),Adrian Hall (Liguanea Dragons), Corey Hanson (Sheffield Eagles), Kareem Harris (GC Foster College), Shannon Harris (University of the West Indies), Jade Harrison (Vauxhall Rugby Club), Sandino Hastings (Vauxhall Rugby Club), Rajiv Haughton (Spanish Town Vikings), Othniel Holness (GC Foster College), Ryan Howell (Excelsior Community College), Brian Hutchinson (Unattached), Ferron Johnson (University of the West Indies), Omar Jones (Vauxhall Rugby Club), Owen Linton (Excelsior Community College), Stephon Lounds (Duhaney Park Red Sharks), Abevia McDonald (Excelsior Community College), Adrian McKenzie (GC Foster College), Rageem McLean (Liguanea Dragons), Khamisi McMain (Duhaney Park Red Sharks), Adrian Myers (GC Foster College), Conan Osbourne (Unattached), Ross Peltier (Keighley Cougars), Jermaine Pinnock (Duhaney Park Red Sharks), Wayne Rettier (Batley Bulldogs), Reinhardo Richards (Spanish Town Vikings), Percival Rose (GC Foster College), Tyronie Rowe (Vauxhall Rugby Club), Jode Sheriffe (Keighley Cougars), Joel Simmonds (Mico University College), Orien Smith (Jamaica Defence Force), Keschone Stephenson (Jamaica Defence Force), Daniel Thomas (Oxford RL), Marvin Thompson (University of Technology), Fabian Turner (Mico University College), Renaldo Wade (Duhaney Park Red Sharks)

The first qualifier will see the USA host Jamaica in Jacksonville on December 4 before Canada and Jamaica do battle at DeLand on December 8 and the USA and Canada renew their rivalry in Jacksonville on December 12.

Belgian Super League launches

The Belgian Rugby League Association has launched its first-ever rugby league domestic competition which will feature four clubs – Eagles RL, Cens Academy of Molenbeek, Norths Brussels Gorillas and Easts Brussels Broncos.

BRLA president Yves-Michael Kazadi expressed his excitement for the competition, “It is a big step forward and the board has a lot of ambition. In Belgium, sport recognition is hard since we have no national government sports agency like in other countries. We want to enjoy the sport that fulfils our inspiration.”

The Belgian Super League will kick off on Wednesday November 18 in Brussels.