Home World Cup is where the heart is for Reuben

Cowboys forward Reuben Cotter has already had the honour of representing his country at a World Cup but to do it on home soil in 2026 would be a whole new level of pride.

Back in 2022, Cotter made his Test debut off the bench in Australia's tournament opener against Fiji in Leeds before starting in the 66-6 win over Italy at St Helen's a fortnight later.

The Kangaroos went on to claim the crown with a 30-10 victory over Samoa in the World Cup final and will look to defend their title in 2026 when the greatest show on turf returns to Australia.

"I was very young back then and I learned so much off the other players in that squad," Cotter said.

"We had eight weeks away so that's a lot of time together and I learned heaps about the professionalism of others and made lifetime memories."

Cotter has since added nine more Test caps to his CV, including a Pacific Championships win over Samoa in his own backyard at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in 2023.

The hard-working middle forward brought plenty of energy in a 30-minute stint off the bench, racking up 91 run metres and 19 tackles.

Making the occasion even more special for Cotter he married partner Mackenzie the day after the Test match.

"I was fortunate enough to play here [in Townsville] before my wedding so it was a cool experience having all my family and friends there to support me and rolling that into that wedding," Cotter said.

"Hopefully I'm in the frame for the Aussie team at the end of next year and I can play here in the match against Cook Islands, that would be pretty special.

"Having a World Cup at home makes it very exciting. We saw in England on the Ashes tour how their fans heckled us and got behind their team so I'd love to have a home field advantage next year."

The Kangaroos open their campaign with a Trans-Tasman blockbuster against New Zealand at Allianz Stadium on October 15, with Cotter looking forward to the prospect of facing Cowboys teammate Griffin Neame.

Neame has played six Tests since debuting in 2023 but missed the Kiwis' recent Pacific Championships success after undergoing a shoulder reconstruction.

"I'll be looking forward to seeing big Griffin back in a representative jumper after he missed out this year," Cotter said.

"The Kiwis are a great team and it will be a really special game in front of that crowd in Sydney.

"They have a great forward pack and do the likes of Tonga and Samoa.

"The level of footy being played is the best it has ever been and the international game has grown so much in the last few years.

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