Aussie head coach visits Thomond Park

THE head coach of the Australia Rugby League team visited Thomond Park on Wednesday, the venue for his side’s 2013 Rugby League World Cup clash with Ireland this November.
Tim Sheen, who has managed the Kangaroos since 2009, met with stadium officials and members of the press ahead of the Group A clash on Saturday, November 9.
An global TV audience of over 20 million is expected to tune in to see Ireland take on the tournament favourites, who have won the competition more times than any other country. Ireland’s other Group opponents will be England and Fiji.
Shannon Development and the Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau teamed up with Rugby League Ireland and Thomond Park in July 2011 to launch a successful bid for Limerick’s right to host the 14th staging of the World Cup. The home of Munster rugby will be the only Irish venue to host a match in this year’s tournament, which is taking place across Wales and England. Other host venues include Wembley Stadium in London, Old Trafford in Manchester and The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
The 2013 tournament will be contested by fourteen teams including Ireland, Australia, England, New Zealand, Samoa, Wales, Fiji, France, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, Tonga, Cook Islands, Italy and the United States. New Zealand are the defending champions, having defeated Australia in the 2008 final.