Why Ireland could help light blue touch paper after familiar start to World Cup

The Samoa hype train was derailed before it had even left the station as hosts England made a mockery of their underdogs tag.

Traditional powerhouses Australia and New Zealand were never likely to come unstuck in the opening round of fixtures and they duly claimed comfortable wins, albeit after suffering early scares.

Although there are 22 games between now and the semi-finals on the weekend of November 11-12, all three teams will be there barring an unexpected turn of events.

That is no slight on international rugby league, which has some way to go before Australia and New Zealand in particular are in danger of falling short of the last four.

There is still time for Samoa to get their campaign back on track, while Tonga have yet to be unleashed.

The upshot of Saturday’s result in Newcastle is that the Pacific rivals are on a collision course to meet in the quarter-finals, providing Samoa awake from their slumber to beat France and Tonga avoid any slip-ups.

Should the two teams hold up their end of the bargain, it could be just the stimulus the World Cup needs heading into the semi-finals.

The challenge between now and then is to maintain interest throughout a stage of the tournament that was always going to be a tough sell in the main.

While there are feelgood stories aplenty, ultimately fans want to see competitive games.

Tonight's clash between Tonga and Papua New Guinea promises to be a lively contest but Ireland's date with Lebanon is undoubtedly the tie of the group stage because of what is at stake.

The Wolfhounds know a win in Leigh on Sunday would secure their place in the quarter-finals, where they would likely meet Australia.

The squad assembled by Ireland evokes memories of the 2000 tournament when a team containing the likes of Tommy Martyn, Chris Joynt and Barrie McDermott pushed England all the way in the last eight.

The current crop can boast Luke Keary and Richie Myler among others but Ireland's middles stole the show against Jamaica.

Led by Liam Byrne and Jaimin Jolliffe, the Irish made ground with ease to give three-time NRL champion Keary the time and space to showcase his world-class ability.

Ireland almost played within themselves at Headingley, perhaps with one eye on the crunch clash with Lebanon. By contrast, the Cedars threw everything at New Zealand and were inventive throughout.

Not only is Sunday's game effectively a straight shootout for second spot in Group C, there is the tantalising prospect of two State of Origin half-backs going head to head in Keary and Mitchell Moses.

If that game is played out in front of a small crowd at Leigh Sports Village, the spotlight will be well and truly on the tournament organisers.

Only 5,453 spectators watched 2008 champions New Zealand see off Lebanon in Warrington on Sunday evening. To put that figure into context, 6,206 fans saw Italy beat Scotland in Newcastle and 6,320 were in attendance at Headingley for Ireland's match against Jamaica.

Ticket prices have been criticised at a time when families are struggling to make ends meet and there are fears looking ahead to this weekend's games.

Australia face Scotland in Coventry on Friday night, while New Zealand take on Jamaica at Hull's MKM Stadium the following evening.

Regardless of the circumstances following last year's postponement, quarter-full stadiums are not a good look for the game on terrestrial television.

Whether there are 5,000 or 15,000 fans in attendance, the Kangaroos and Kiwis will continue on their merry way as they build towards the knockout stages.

In all probability, the rivals will meet in the semi-finals at Elland Road, the scene of New Zealand's famous 24-0 win over Australia in 2005.

Should they make serene progress as expected, both teams are in danger of being slightly underdone for what is likely to be a titanic battle.

After seeing off Samoa's physical threat before cutting loose, England are in a similar situation.

France are no pushovers but Shaun Wane's team should win Saturday's game in Bolton with something to spare before rounding off the group stage against tournament debutants Greece.

Wane plans to freshen his team up this weekend to ensure England are fit and firing for the business end of the World Cup.

There was a lot to like about England's performance against Samoa at St James' Park, from the power in the middle to the strike on the edges.

Wane's challenge is to ensure the hosts can reproduce that performance when it matters after a lull.

Until then, it is up to nations like Tonga and Ireland to deliver storylines that will keep the excitement fizzing.