Australia and New Zealand: game before the Four Nations
Australia and New Zealand will prepare for the Four Nations series by playing each other in New South Wales before flying to Britain.
They will play a Test match in Newcastle on October 16, a fortnight before the scheduled start of the Four Nations tournament also involving England and Wales.
It means the Tasman rivals will play each other four times in 2011 if they reach the Four Nations final.
Their first meeting is at Gold Coast’s Skilled Park on Friday week, the venue having been switched from Christchurch because of the February earthquake which devastated the region.
“The rivalry between Australia and New Zealand has never been stronger and a two-Test format will really showcase the prestige and excitement of international rugby league,” ARL chief executive Geoff Carr said.
After years of domination by the Kangaroos, the rivalry between the two sides has intensified in recent times with the Kiwis winning three of their their last four finals against Australia – including the 2008 World Cup in Brisbane.
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Another Test for Tasman rivals