International Rugby League Calendar Offers Renewed Optimism

George Williams expresses a strong desire for more opportunities to represent England and compete against the world’s top teams. This sentiment comes as the ABK International Series prepares for a double header at AMT Headingley in Leeds on Saturday, 2 November. The event will feature England women facing Wales at 12:00 GMT, with live coverage on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, and the BBC Sport website and app. The men’s match will see England take on Samoa at 14:30 GMT, broadcast live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, and with live radio and text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app. In contrast to England men’s football captain Harry Kane, who has 101 caps, cricket counterpart Ben Stokes with 107 Tests, and rugby union skipper Jamie George with 93 appearances, England rugby league captain George Williams has made only 19 international appearances in nine years since his debut, a fact he finds somewhat disappointing. Unlike other sports that feature year-round international competition with scheduled breaks, rugby league currently lacks such a structured international calendar. Williams conveyed his feelings to BBC Sport, stating, “Personally I’d love to play a lot more – I love playing for England. If you look at rugby union, I’m not sure how many exactly they play in a year but it’s a lot more than us.” The recent Test series against Samoa has underscored the high calibre of players within the England squad. A strong attendance for their impressive 34-18 victory in game one at Wigan, coupled with expectations of a large crowd for the second match in Leeds this Saturday, generates genuine optimism for the sport. However, a persistent source of frustration in the northern hemisphere, particularly for England, is the infrequency of competitive matches against the world’s leading nations. Williams elaborated, “There’s no disrespect to France, but if we want to compete in the World Cups, we need to be playing against the best nations more regularly.” He noted rugby union’s broader global reach, including nations like Argentina, and expressed a wish for England to play “five to eight games a year,” acknowledging potential implications for Super League. “I’m not sure how that looks for Super League but I’m just talking as a player. I’d love to play for England a bit more.” He highlighted the disparity in caps, observing, “You see lads who have played for England rugby league for 10 years and they’ve still only got 20 caps – it’s crazy really. You see the football and the rugby union lads and they’ve got hundreds.” Encouragingly, the international calendar is now being developed to provide England head coach Shaun Wane and his players with more opportunities to compete against elite opposition in preparation for the 2026 World Cup. Australia is set to be England’s autumn series opponent in 2025, with discussions underway to reinstate the historic tour, which last occurred in 2003. Since then, competitions like the Tri and Four Nations have largely replaced dedicated Test series against Australia, with the Kangaroos not having played England since the 2017 World Cup final. Regarding these plans, Wane told BBC Radio 5 Live, “I like Australia, so I’ll travel there if we do it the right way. If it’s here, then great. I was brought up on Australia and New Zealand Test series as a kid, so if we can do that again I’ll be very, very proud.” He emphasized the importance of a “proper international calendar” for the benefit of the game, Super League, and hopefully the NRL. Isaah Yeo, who captained Australia for the first time against New Zealand last weekend, described it as “the greatest moment” of his distinguished career. The 2022 World Cup served as a unifying experience for Australian players, who relished the touring aspect, encountering new cultures, and fostering camaraderie. Cameron Munster and Jake Trbojevic, for instance, expressed during the World Cup that wearing the “green and gold” was the “pinnacle,” fulfilling childhood aspirations. Despite winning four consecutive NRL Premierships and representing New South Wales in the annual State of Origin series, Penrith lock Isaah Yeo also acknowledged that captaining Australia would be the “greatest moment of his career” when chosen to lead against the New Zealand Kiwis this autumn. Historically, the dominance of State of Origin had overshadowed the international game. However, the enthusiasm of Australia head coach Mal Meninga and the players’ own desire has led to a renewed focus on Test matches. An annual competition has now been established in the southern hemisphere, with the NRL collaborating with International Rugby League to create the Pacific Championships for men’s and women’s national teams. This shift is further evidenced by Tonga’s historic visit to England in 2023 and Samoa’s in 2024. The strategic relaxation of rules has allowed Pacific islanders, such as Jarome Luai and Jeremiah Nanai, who are currently involved with Samoa, to also participate in State of Origin, thereby strengthening both competitions with top-tier talent. Hollie-Mae Dodd is joining the England squad after competing in Australia’s elite National Rugby League Women’s league with Canberra. England’s women’s team will conclude their 2024 schedule with a Test match against an emerging Wales side this Saturday, marking their second outing of the season following a victory over France in Toulouse in June. Head coach Stu Barrow, like other international coaches, seeks more time with his players, additional Test matches, and increased opportunities to develop the sport. In 2025, Barrow and his players will see these opportunities materialize. England is scheduled to play Australia’s formidable Jillaroos in Las Vegas in March, as part of the NRL’s major weekend of games in ‘Sin City’. Subsequently, the Jillaroos will provide opposition in a Test series next autumn, alongside the men’s team, promising a series of high-intensity, high-level matches, whether hosted in England or Australia. Barrow commented on the upcoming fixtures, stating, “Either way we’re really excited just to have the opportunity to play Australia at the end of the year.” He also shared his discussions regarding World Cup preparation: “The Rugby League asked me what we needed to do before the next World Cup and I said the key component was ‘we need to play the best in the world’ so we know where we’re at.” He praised the efforts to arrange these matches, adding, “They’ve been brilliant at sorting that out. We go to Las Vegas in March to play them in the first Test and then there are two Tests at the end of the year. That’s what they will be. Tests.” While international rugby league still has progress to make to match some of its counterparts, significant strides are being taken to strengthen the sport globally.