England’s rugby league team will face Australia in a thrilling three-Test showdown later this year.
It will be the first time the nations have met in a series since 2003. Over 100,000 tickets have already been sold, while the second and third tests are completely sold out.
Australia will head into the contest as the undisputed kings of the men’s game, ranked number one in the International Rugby League (IRL) World Rankings.
However, England will fancy their chances of getting the better of the Kangaroos. If they pull it off, they could leapfrog New Zealand into second place in the standings.
They even stand an outside chance of knocking Australia off their perch if they complete an emphatic 3-0 clean sweep, but that will be easier said than done.
The Forgotten Tradition
The upcoming series has raised plenty of debate about whether it might be the right time for England, or a collective Great Britain team, to tour the southern hemisphere again.
Great Britain’s previous visits to Oceania were among the most prestigious events in international rugby league. They triggered a wave of activity in the betting industry.
The demand for rugby odds in NZ went through the roof, highlighting the popularity of the series. The games not only boosted betting activity, but redefined careers and inspired future generations.
However, you have to go back over three decades for the last time Great Britain toured the region. That 1992 series made its way into the history books.
Great Britain’s regular expeditions to the southern hemisphere were slowly eroded and touring began to lose its relevance due to the one-sided nature of the games.
Between a famous 21-12 win at Wembley Stadium in 1973 and a dead-rubber victory in Sydney in 1988, the Lions lost 15 consecutive Tests to Australia.
Their performances eventually impacted ticket sales and television deals. When the commercial appeal faded, Australia realised they had stronger competition closer to home.
With more Pacific nations stepping up, the State of Origin series kicking off, and a packed National Rugby League (NRL) schedule, the Kangaroos no longer needed to face Great Britain or England.
The Rugby Football League (RFL) formally ended the Great Britain era in 2007 to focus on the four Home Nations, with the Lions touring every four years.
However, the Lions didn’t tour again until over a decade later. And when they did, it was a disaster. They suffered four consecutive defeats in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
It’s Time to End the Hiatus
To many former rugby league players, coaches and fans, shelving the southern hemisphere tours has robbed the sport of one of its greatest challenges.
Martin Offiah is among the people baffled by the current set-up. Offiah produced a series of dazzling performances in 1992, scoring seven tries in six Tests against Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand.
He is stunned by the nonchalance of the RFL and Australian Rugby League (ARL) as they allowed the headline event to fade into the history books.
“As a nation, we’ve got to have regular fixtures against Australia,” Offiah said.
“Not playing them since the World Cup final in 2017 is crazy. When you’re trying to get across that bridge and match them, that’s a massive gap.”
These tours were never just about silverware. They pushed the players to their absolute limits and tested their resilience.
Taking northern hemisphere players out of their comfort zone and throwing them into rugby league’s most hostile environments would help to get the best out of them.
Offiah may have been on to something. The argument that regular tours would help to close the gap on Australia is undoubtedly valid.
England have become competitive at international level, but they would be more likely to knock Australia off their perch if they learned how to win in their backyard.
And that wouldn’t happen without overseas tours.
