GB Tour on for 2019

[Foreign Legion]

British and Irish Lions are set to tour the southern hemisphere in 2019 after a Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) meeting in Singapore.

It was threatened by a proposal from Australia, who wanted to tour the UK in 2019 but will now do so in 2020 - with New Zealand coming in 2018 and 2022.

The tour would be the Lions' first action for 12 years after the team was disbanded having beaten the Kiwis 3-0.

The RLIF aims to get this proposed calendar confirmed in November.

The Lions' last match was in 2007 against New Zealand in a series that preceded the 2008 World Cup.

Since that series whitewash for Great Britain, England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland have played under their own banners. England will continue to do so for World Cups and incoming tours.

The Kangaroos were keen to go on a tour in 2019 but during the RLIF's two-day meeting in Singapore it was decided the Lions would proceed with their trip, which was announced last year.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-league/45003817
"Organisers of the 2021 World Cup in England believe a visit by Australia at the end of the 2020 season would help build momentum for the tournament," said a statement from the Australian Rugby League Commission.

"A proposed Lions tour of the southern hemisphere by Great Britain is now expected to take place next year and include Tests against Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and possibly another Pacific nation."

Key elements of the proposed calendar:

• Rugby League World Cup in 2021 and 2025
• Australia tour to UK in 2020
• New Zealand tour to UK in 2018 and 2022
• Lions tour to southern hemisphere in 2019 and 2024
• 2018 European Championship (then at two-year intervals)
• 2018 Australia v New Zealand Test (annually to 2022)

England played New Zealand in D

 

[Burns]

I wonder where they will play, and how many matches?

Could see 5 or 6 formal ‘Tests’ mixed in with midweek matches against regional/country teams (Hunter Valley, rural NSW/QLD).

Would they play a full 3 match series against Australia? Or just two matches against them and also New Zealand?

Many many questions. Fixtures need to be finalised before the end of the year so that GB fans can fly out and support it.

 

[Springs09]

There needs to be a proper three test series. If they play 2x Aus and 2x NZ then they might as well turn it into the old Tri-Nations and have 2x Aus v NZ as well and a final.

Please no regional rep or club sides. They are wastes of games when they could be playing Pacific nations in front of good crowds.

I imagine it will be:
v PNG - Port Moresby
v NZ - Wellington
v Australia - Brisbane
v Australia - Melbourne
v Australia - Sydney

But they should also play Tonga and Samoa/Fiji. Have Australia also play NZ and 2 of the Pacific Nations and include NZ in the Pacific Championship and we actually have a decent international season.

 

[siv]

When is my question

To try and play this series in Oct / Nov summer heat down under is crazy

 

[Burns]

Heat?

Only in North Queensland and PNG will there be ‘heat. It’s not even Summer until December.

They’ll be fine, it can’t be played in either NRL/Super League seasons.

 

[Pommy]

Why is this being called British and Irish lions, that’s a totally different team isn’t it?
Isn’t the team called Great Britain rugby league?

 

[latingringo101]

I'm not a fan of tours, but if they're playing against minnows like PNG, PIs and NZ on this tour than that's not the worst thing.

I'd hate it if they only play against club teams and only one nation , that is completely pointless

 

[Springs09]

When is my question

To try and play this series in Oct / Nov summer heat down under is crazy

Did you not notice the entire World Cup that was held in October and November last year?

 

[siv]

Did you not notice the entire World Cup that was held in October and November last year?

Yes still crazy

 

[Pommy]

Yes still crazy

Why it’s not like it’s that hot and as others have said it’s not even summer.

 

[roughyedspud]

The following where all played down under during October & November..

2006 tri nations
2008 world cup
2010 4 nations
2014 4 nations
2017 world cup..

So stop ya whinging

 

[Last Week]

@roughyedspud any idea on what the fixtures will look like next year? How many matches GB will play?

 

[hutch]

So after all this talk about helping tier 2 nations, what has been decided for tier 2 Nations apart from playing each other in a euro or pac cup every 2 years? This isn’t a proper schedule.

 

[Last Week]

There needs to be a proper three test series. If they play 2x Aus and 2x NZ then they might as well turn it into the old Tri-Nations and have 2x Aus v NZ as well and a final.

Please no regional rep or club sides. They are wastes of games when they could be playing Pacific nations in front of good crowds.

I imagine it will be:
v PNG - Port Moresby
v NZ - Wellington
v Australia - Brisbane
v Australia - Melbourne
v Australia - Sydney

But they should also play Tonga and Samoa/Fiji. Have Australia also play NZ and 2 of the Pacific Nations and include NZ in the Pacific Championship and we actually have a decent international season.

I would be cheering if they did;

PNG in Port Moresby
Australia in Brisbane
Australia in Sydney (WSS)
Australia in Melbourne
Fiji in Suva.
NZ in Dunedin

And when they tour again.

Samoa in Whangarei
NZ in Auckland
NZ in Dunedin
NZ in Wellington
Tonga in Auckland
Australia in Perth.

I can dream.

 

[roughyedspud]

@roughyedspud any idea on what the fixtures will look like next year? How many matches GB will play?

Probably a 5 game tour...a test v png,3 tests v Australia and a test v nz..

 

[roughyedspud]

The only way they could do a old school tour with mid week games and weekend games is if we take a 40+ man squad and have 2 GB teams,one for Wednesday's & one for Saturday's...that's how the union lions do it..and those tours cost millions....millions we don't have or have the potential to generate cos no matter if Australia are playing England or GB we'll still only get 20k in Melbourne,30k in Sydney if we're lucky and 40k+ in Brisbane...and the midweek GB 'a' team won't shift many tickets either

 

[CC_Roosters]

British and Irish Lions are set to tour the southern hemisphere in 2019 after a Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) meeting in Singapore.

It was threatened by a proposal from Australia, who wanted to tour the UK in 2019 but will now do so in 2020 - with New Zealand coming in 2018 and 2022.

The tour would be the Lions' first action for 12 years after the team was disbanded having beaten the Kiwis 3-0.

The RLIF aims to get this proposed calendar confirmed in November.

The Lions' last match was in 2007 against New Zealand in a series that preceded the 2008 World Cup.

Since that series whitewash for Great Britain, England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland have played under their own banners. England will continue to do so for World Cups and incoming tours.

The Kangaroos were keen to go on a tour in 2019 but during the RLIF's two-day meeting in Singapore it was decided the Lions would proceed with their trip, which was announced last year.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-league/45003817
"Organisers of the 2021 World Cup in England believe a visit by Australia at the end of the 2020 season would help build momentum for the tournament," said a statement from the Australian Rugby League Commission.

"A proposed Lions tour of the southern hemisphere by Great Britain is now expected to take place next year and include Tests against Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and possibly another Pacific nation."

Key elements of the proposed calendar:

• Rugby League World Cup in 2021 and 2025
• Australia tour to UK in 2020
• New Zealand tour to UK in 2018 and 2022
• Lions tour to southern hemisphere in 2019 and 2024
• 2018 European Championship (then at two-year intervals)
• 2018 Australia v New Zealand Test (annually to 2022)

England played New Zealand in D

What about the "federation cup" style tournament or re-do of the four nations that had been mooted, is this the end of tournament footy for the tier 1 nations outside of the world cup? What will england's involvement be with the Euro championship be? And likewise the pacific nations+AUS+NZ? SO many question's not least what they plan to do to promote and get traction/momentum for the NA world cup in only 7 years!

edit: Just noticing that the schedule doesn't have a major event in 2023??

 

[kdalymc]

Are there any decent players from the other 3 nations tho?

Also how will this work with rankings?
Also did the old team include Irish players? I know the official name was GB and Northern Ireland, as Ireland its self isn’t in GB/UK..
??

 

[geordie_saint]

Are there any decent players from the other 3 nations tho?

None who are better than their English counterparts. A few ‘Jocks’ have performed well at international level such as Dale Ferguson but none are anywhere near good enough to play ahead of the likes of Whitehead, S Burgess and Bateman. Average SL players who’ve performed above expectations at times in a national shirt.

 

[Pommy]

None who are better than their English counterparts. A few ‘Jocks’ have performed well at international level such as Dale Ferguson but none are anywhere near good enough to play ahead of the likes of Whitehead, S Burgess and Bateman. Average SL players who’ve performed above expectations at times in a national shirt.

Who are the jocks that aren’t just English players not good enough to get in the England squad getting a rep jersey?
At the last World Cup there was 2 Scottish born players in the squad and one of them had a Yorkshire accent.