When it comes to the Rugby League World Cup, there’s one nation that everyone can’t help but speak about.

That nation is Australia.

They’re the hosts of the 2017 tournament, as well as the current champions and they have won the event the most times since it was established. After the last world cup back in 2013 was held in the UK, Ireland and France, it’s now returning to the southern hemisphere to be played out in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea – but how will the Aussies fare this time around?

Well, if betting odds are anything to go by, you’d assume that they had already won the tournament before it’s even begun. Australia are currently odds on favourites, in terms of sports betting, to retain their title as rugby league world champions; and to therefore to continue to be the dominant nation in the sport.

Even former winners such as New Zealand are well priced to reign supreme so Australia certainly seem to be in the driving seat.

Australia, ranked number one in the world, let complacency kick in when they lost to New Zealand on home soil 9 years ago, and to many it was one of the biggest shocks to ever occur in rugby league history. They followed that disappointment up by winning the World Cup in 2013 and will be looking show what they’re really capable of on home turf once again. The complacency that cost them last time is what they’ll be ultimately using as a motivational tool this time round to prove to the world that they really are the dominant force in rugby league.

So in a sense it really is Australia’s rugby league world cup to lose. Many have already acknowledged that the main rivals for Australia will be England and New Zealand but at the same time they’ve also written them off as potential challengers to the throne. It’s important that The Kangaroos don’t write anyone off though.

They know what happens when complacency sets it so they’ll have to go out and treat every team with the respect that they deserve throughout the tournament in order to get the results that they’re looking for. England and New Zealand will no doubt pose some sort of threat but if Australia bring their A game to every match, it’s hard to look past them retaining their status as world champions for another four years.

A Unibet spokesman made it clear that what makes Australia really stand out as the favourites is the fact that they’ve been at the top of their game for so long. They have been on a different level to other nations for many ears and this is by and large down to the quality of the squad.

There’s enormous strength in depth meaning that even with the likes of Matt Scott, Jonathan Thurston, Darius Boyd and Greg Inglis unavailable, they still have a wealth of talent to call on that means they’re still in pole position to win the rugby league world cup 2017.

[source:theguardian]