It's the Rugby League World Cup - a cross-cultural melting pot with teams from the Americas, Europe and the Pacific ready to do battle.
But with 16 teams in the men's competition and hundreds of names to familiarise yourself with, we've had a look at the squads to determine just who are the three players from each nation you need to be watching.
Scotland
Euan Aitken
Aitken returns to the Bravehearts lineup for the first time since making his international debut for them during the 2016 Four Nations, where he scored a try in Scotland's historic draw with New Zealand.
Since that time Aitken has made a name for himself as one of the most consistent, hard-working and underrated players in the game, moving to the Warriors in 2021 after six years in the Red V. He's matured rapidly in that time, and was rewarded for his efforts with the 2022 Simon Mannering Medal as the Warriors' best player ahead of his move to the Dolphins. With the ability to play in the centres or the second-row, he'll also offer some much-needed high-level versatility to the Scottish squad.
Lachlan Walmsley
The Bravehearts aren't exactly stacked for talent when it comes to the outside backs, but they'll be hoping Walmsley can continue his fine tryscoring form at club level on the international stage. A reliable goalkicker, the 24-year-old made his international debut in a draw against Jamaica, with the Bravehearts only kept in the contest by Walmsley's accuracy with the boot.
While his goals will be valuable, his ability to score tries will prove even moreso. Walmsley has scored 45 tries in just 46 second-division appearances for Whitehaven and Halifax. While it's arguable the quality of opponents will be significantly higher, it's clear that Walmsley knows how to find the line, and the Scots will be relying on him to do so if they're any hope of causing an upset.
Dale Ferguson
The captain and most experienced member of the side will enter his third and last World Cup aiming to go out on a high. The 34-year-old has been playing for the national team for over a decade, ringing up 19 caps in that time for six tries. His team will be turning to him for experience, insight and passion.
His storied career began all the way back in 2008 with his debut for Wakefield Trinity, and since then he's gone on to play 183 games across the Super League and Second Division, spending the last two years with Dewsbury Town. Though he starts primarily from the bench these days, expect Ferguson to epitomise the Braveheart spirit – as he has since his Scottish debut in 2010.
