Australia to tour England for first time since 2003
World champions Australia will return to England this autumn for the first Ashes tour since 2003, with all matches shown live on the BBC.The sides will play Test matches on three successive Saturdays - at Wembley on 25 October, at Everton's new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium on 1 November and then at Headingley on 8 November.It is eight years since the nations last met - in the 2017 World Cup final in Brisbane, with Australia winning 6-0.England's failure to beat Samoa in the World Cup semi-final in 2022 meant Shaun Wane's side missed the chance to renew rivalries with the Kangaroos in an Old Trafford showpiece.In the two years since that delayed tournament, England have beaten Tonga 3-0 in a home Test series and then won two Tests against Samoa in 2024.This announcement is a bright spot for rugby league's governing body, at a time of upheaval and uncertainty around its own governance and board structure.
Long wait for Ashes return set to end
It will be the first time since 2003 the Kangaroos have travelled to play in an Ashes series - with the previous incarnation a contest between Australia and Great Britain.The absence of the series on the calendar for so long came as the Great Britain brand was dissolved for the most part in 2006 - barring an ill-fated return in 2019 - and the Tri-Nations, and then Four Nations, competitions came into being.That meant opportunities for England to test themselves against Australia became all the more fleeting.The appetite for the international game in the southern hemisphere also waned amid the rise in prominence of State of Origin as a high-profile representative option for New South Wales and Queensland players - and general dominance of Australia's National Rugby League.However, the experience of a World Cup on these shores in 2022 - with the bonding and team growth achieved by spending time away on foreign soil - helped reinstate Australia players' love for the green-and-gold jersey.The recent Pacific Championships featuring New Zealand, Tonga, Samoa and the Kangaroos have also thrived.But this is the biggest step made by the Australians, who have committed to a three-Test tour against northern hemisphere opposition at the end of the demanding NRL season.
Venue selections reflect expected interest
The Tonga and Samoa series were well received and a success for England, but all the games were staged at stadiums with capacities up to 25,000 in rugby league's traditional heartland.However, the expected appetite for Australia's visit has prompted the Rugby Football League and RL Commercial to think bigger - with the 90,000-capacity Wembley and Everton's new ground, which can house more than 50,000 fans, among three host stadiums.Wembley in particular has special affection for supporters as the annual home of the Challenge Cup final - and has staged some mammoth Ashes encounters in the past.Great Britain's victory in 1994, inspired by brilliance from Jonathan Davies, and an England win a year later in the World Cup group stages, are fondly remembered by home fans.Australia have also enjoyed success at the famous venue, winning World Cups in 1992 and 1995 under the old 'Twin Towers', and thrashing Fiji on their last visit to the new ground in the 2013 semi-final.Bramley-Moore Dock will be new territory for the sport, but Everton's current home Goodison Park staged four Australia matches in the early part of the 20th Century.By contrast, Headingley has staged countless Tests, Ashes games and World Cup meetings between the countries, and is now a staple venue for England fixtures.
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