The multi-format Rugby League World Cup ramps up on Friday as the men's quarter-finals begin and the wheelchair competition's first sweep of group games is brought to a close. It is Australia who headline the day's schedule, but there is plenty more to keep an eye on.
Here is everything you need to know ahead of Friday’s action…
France v Wales – Wheelchair Group B
Where: English Institute of Sport, Sheffield.
When: 11am (GMT)
TV: BBC Two and BBC iPlayer
France are two-time defending champions, having beaten England by four-point margins in each of the last two finals, 44-40 in 2013 in Gillingham and 38-34 in Perpignan four years ago. They are massive favourites to win Group B and have to be fancied to win a third straight World Cup, but Wales boast a squad rammed full of players who won the Celtic Cup this year. North Wales Crusaders star Scott Trigg-Turner will be one of the Dragons' major hopes throughout their tilt at world glory, although they'll be looking to bounce back from a disappointing 86-38 loss to Australia in their final warm-up fixture in October.
Sportsman stat: France scored an average of more than 85 points per game in their 2017 World Cup campaign, racking up 427 in total in their five victories.
Scotland v USA - Wheelchair Group B
Where: English Institute of Sport, Sheffield.
When: 1:30pm (GMT)
TV: BBC Two and BBC iPlayer
Scotland captain Michael Mellon begins his latest quest for international honours having competed and won medals in multiple Invictus Games. Besides being a rugby league international, Mellon has also competed in wheelchair basketball and sitting volleyball. The USA Hawks are competing in their first tournament having only set up their domestic league earlier in 2022. However, captain Jeffrey Townsend has been playing and coaching in adapted sports for a quarter of a century and has played wheelchair basketball professionally in multiple national leagues across the globe.
Sportsman stat: USA's Micah Stewart started playing rugby union at the age of seven when his family moved to Southampton.
Australia v Lebanon - Men's Quarter-Final
Where: John Smith's Stadium, Huddersfield.
When: 7:30pm (GMT)
TV: BBC Three and BBC iPlayer
Referee: Chris Kendall (England)
Last meeting: Australia 34-0 Lebanon (Sydney, RLWC 2017)
Australia’s RLWC so far: Won Group B (beat Fiji 42-8, Scotland 84-0 and Italy 66-6)
Lebanon's RLWC so far: Runners-up in Group C (lost to New Zealand 12-34, beat Ireland 32-14 and Jamaica 74-12)
With 192 points scored and just 14 conceded in their group campaign, Australia look as well-prepared as ever to defend their men's World Cup crown. In Josh Addo-Carr and Campbell Graham they have two of the highest try scorers in the competition and Nathan Cleary is both the top goalkicker and leading points scorer. Add in the performance levels of the likes of Jeremiah Nani, Harry Grant and Latrell Mitchell and Mal Meninga's squad looks absolutely stacked.
Lebanon coach Michael Cheika begins possibly the busiest weekend of his life as he leads the Cedars for their clash with the world champions before taking the Argentina rugby union side to Twickenham to face England's 15-a-side national team on Sunday. He'll be hoping that NRL veterans Mitchell Moses and Josh Mansour can continue their recent form as his squad look to perform a modern-day miracle by knocking out Australia.
Sportsman stat: The Kangaroos are looking to extend a World Cup-record 15-match winning run. Their last defeat was in the 2008 final against New Zealand in Brisbane.
Betfred odds: Australia 1/2000, Lebanon 28/1, draw 100/1
Favourites for first tryscorer: Josh Addo-Carr (Australia) 4/1, Campbell Graham (Australia) 5/1
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject to Change
