Talks ongoing for Great Britain return

James Gordon

Great Britain could be making a return to action in 2015, according to reports Down Under.

Plans are in place for a Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand, where they will play two test matches and two midweek games in both countries, following the completion of the NRL and Super League seasons.

The international game is working towards a four-year cycle based around the World Cup, similar to how things operate in other sports, while there will be a Four Nations tournament once again in 2014.

RLIF chairman Scott Carter told the NZ Press: “The current discussions are for a Lions tour of New Zealand and Australia in 2015 and next week England, Australia and New Zealand are meeting in Canberra to see if we can firm up an absolute commitment to that.

“The proposal is that it would be an eight-game tour with two midweek games and two tests in each of New Zealand and Australia.

“There is a lot of interest in all three countries in it and we want to be working out the details or difficulties of it when we meet in Canberra next week.”

The last time Great Britain took to the field was the 2007 All Golds tour, when they recorded a 3-0 series victory over New Zealand, the last of those tests a 28-22 win at the DW Stadium, Wigan.

Since then, England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales have all competed as individual nations, including, with the exception of Wales, the 2008 World Cup.