- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
During this past weekend’s representative round, Rugby League International Federation chairman Nigel Wood visited Sydney to hold discussions over the future of the international calendar, the most notable talking point being the return of the Lions in 2019.
It comes as rugby union’s British and Irish Lions prepare for their New Zealand tour in June, the tourists featuring a familiar name in rugby league circles, with Ben Te’o to suit up for Warren Gatland’s outfit.
If the Lions tour of Australia is to be given the green light, it will mark their first time they have played since the 2007 New Zealand All Golds Tour and their first trip down under since the 2006 Tri-Nations.
The Lions, however, haven’t had an official tour since visiting New Zealand back in 1996. While the rugby union equivalent is set to take place over six weeks, rugby league’s Lions tour is expected to be much shorter.
It opens up the possibility for France to participate concurrently by possibly hosting New Zealand or even touring the Pacific Islands. As this past weekend’s action showed, international rugby league offers plenty of passion, excitement and close contests.
Alongside a three-match series against Australia the Lions may go head-to-head with representative sides, such as the Indigenous All Stars, as well as the respective State of Origin teams in mid-week matches.
A potential schedule for the Lions Tour could be as follows:
Week 1
New South Wales vs Great Britain (Wednesday; ANZ Stadium, Sydney)
Indigenous All Stars vs Great Britain (Saturday; 1300Smiles Stadium, Townsville)
Week 2
Queensland vs Great Britain (Wednesday; Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane)
Australia vs Great Britain I (Sunday; GIO Stadium, Canberra)
Week 3
Australia vs Great Britain II (Saturday; Perth Stadium, Perth)
Week 4
Australia versus Great Britain III (Friday; AAMI Park, Melbourne)
The Lions Tour allows the gap between the British Isles nations to be bridged with more big-game experience for players. In addition it will also add a new flavour to the international calendar and spread the game of rugby league around Australia in what is sure to be a marquee event attracting plenty of attention.
The series could be replicated with a return series as the Kangaroos tour the UK playing matches in cities like Glasgow, Cardiff, Dublin, London and Manchester, alternating each four-year cycle with New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.
The RLIF must bring back the Lions Tour and reinvigorate the international game.
Great Britain’s best 17
1. Zak Hardaker (England, Castleford Tigers)
2. Jermaine McGillvary (England, Huddersfield Giants)
3. Kallum Watkins (England, Leeds Rhinos)
4. Rhys Evans (Wales, Warrington Wolves)
5. Ryan Hall (England, Leeds Rhinos)
6. Danny Brough (Captain; Scotland, Huddersfield Giants)
7. Gareth Widdop (England, St George Illawarra Dragons)
8. Scott Taylor (England, Hull FC)
9. Josh Hodgson (England, Canberra Raiders)
10. James Graham (England, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
11. Elliott Whitehead (England, Canberra Raiders)
12. Dale Ferguson (Scotland, Huddersfield Giants)
13. Sam Burgess (England, South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Interchange
14. Eamon O’Carroll (Ireland, Widnes Vikings)
15. Luke Douglas (Scotland, St Helens)
16. Ben Flower (Wales, Wigan Warriors)
17. Liam Farrell (England, Wigan Warriors)
Coach
Steve McCormack (Scotland)
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.