The Fiji Bati rugby league team is in the pool of death for the 2013 Rugby League World Cup in the United Kingdom which has been expanded to include 14 nations.

The Bati are drawn with former champions Australia, host England and Ireland.

The Fiji Bati reached the semifinal in the last World Cup where they lost to the Kangaroos.

The event was launched in Manchester, with officials closely following the model used successfully for the 2008 World Cup in Australia.

The 10 team tournament generated a profit of about $4 million, encouraging organisers to add an additional four teams and a quarter final round.

Wales and Cook Islands have been confirmed as two of the new countries, with the other two to come from qualifying tournaments to be held in 2011 in Serbia and the United States.

Italy, Lebanon, Russia, Serbia, Jamaica, South Africa and the USA are the teams vying for the two remaining places.

Story by: Dreu Vukailagi