The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth World Cup for men’s rugby league national teams. It was held between 26 October and 22 November and was won by New Zealand, who defeated Australia 34–20 in the final in one of the greatest upsets in the sports history.
Fereti Tuilagi is a Samoan former professional rugby footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. After playing rugby union at international level, he turned professional and played rugby league for English clubs Halifax Blue Sox and St. Helens. He played as a wing or centre and is now retired. His first name is often anglicised to Freddie.
Oliver John Barkley is a former English rugby union player who played for Bath, Gloucester, Racing Metro, Grenoble, Scarlets and London Welsh at fly-half between 2001 and 2016.
Simon Easterby is an Irish former rugby union player. He is currently the defence coach for the Irish national team.
Peter Alexander Stringer is an Irish former rugby union player who played at scrum-half. He played 13 seasons with Irish province Munster from 1998 to 2011; he then played seven seasons from 2011 to 2018 in England with various teams — Saracens, Newcastle Falcons, Bath, Sale Sharks and Worcester Warriors. Internationally, Stringer represented Ireland and the Barbarians. He announced his retirement from rugby in June 2018.
Lee Mears is an English former professional rugby union player who played as a hooker. He played his club rugby for Bath from 1998 until his retirement in 2013. He also played for the England national team from 2004 to 2012; he earned 42 caps and played in two Rugby World Cups, and played for the British & Irish Lions on their 2009 tour to South Africa.
Shontayne Edward Hape is a New Zealand former professional rugby footballer, a dual-code rugby international. He played rugby union at centre for Montpellier, London Irish, Bath and England. He played rugby league for the Bradford Bulls in the Super League and the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League. Hape represented New Zealand at international level rugby league by being selected for both the junior and senior squads, including the 2006 Tri-Nations New Zealand squad. His usual position is centre. He was forced to retire in 2013 after suffering several serious concussions, which left him with decreased brain function.
Tasesa James Lavea is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former professional rugby league and rugby union footballer. He is of Samoan and Māori descent and heritage, and he coaches the 1st XV for Saint Kentigern College.
David Lemi is a professional rugby player who plays on the wing for Rouen.
Daniel James Hipkiss is a retired rugby union player who won 13 caps for England between 2007–10, including the 2007 Rugby World Cup Final. Hipkiss played 130 times for Leicester Tigers between 2001–11 before moving to Bath prior to retiring in May 2013. Principally an outside centre Hipkiss also played inside centre, and earlier in his career on the wing.
Matthew Andrew Banahan is a former rugby union player who played for Bath and Gloucester in Premiership Rugby, between 2006 and 2021. Born in Jersey, he played 20 times for England but capped 16 times between 2009 and 2011. His main position was wing, however he could also operate as an inside or outside centre.
George Skivington is an English professional rugby union coach and former player. He is the current head coach of Premiership Rugby side Gloucester.
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup featured the national teams of ten nations: Australia, England, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, France, Scotland, Ireland, Samoa, and Tonga.
Alafoti Fa'osiliva is a rugby union player for English club Worcester Warriors in the Aviva Premiership and in the national Samoa team.
Oscar Danielson is a former New Zealand international rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. He played for the Kiwis in the 1968 World Cup.
In June 2012, the Scotland rugby union team made a tour of Australia, Fiji and Samoa, playing one test match against each.
Lance corporal Semesa Rokoduguni is a professional rugby union player for US Montauban in France's Pro D2, previously playing for English club Bath, and soldier in the British Army, having served in Afghanistan.
Belgium Tuatagaloa is a rugby union player who has represented the New Zealand Sevens team, in 2012 and 2013, and Samoa in sevens 2015-2017 and in fifteens from 2019. Born in Auckland, New Zealand, he qualifies for Samoa through heritage. He has played for Canterbury in the ITM Cup and for Valence Romans Rugby in France's Fédérale 1, the third division. He currently plays for Rouen in the Pro D2. He has also played for London Irish and in 2022 played for Racing 92 in the Supersevens Tournament where he was named in the tournament team.
Ken Siaosi Pisi is a former rugby union player for Northampton Saints in the Aviva Premiership and the Samoa national rugby union team.
Matthew Abramo Gallagher is a professional rugby union player for Benetton Rugby in the United Rugby Championship. His primary position is fullback, though can also play on either wing. Gallagher's father is John Gallagher, who won the 1987 Rugby World Cup with New Zealand.
