What can we expect from the league Lions tour to New Zealand next year?

The Great Britain and Irish Lions are back after a 12-year hiatus to face Tonga, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa and Papua New GuineaBy Gavin Willacy for No Helmets RequiredSo farewell England, welcome back Great Britain – or maybe the Great Britain and Ireland League Lions. Anyway, after a damp squib finish to a handsome series win over the Kiwis, it seems England are to be mothballed for 23 months. An England XIII may play France or Wales next year and the RFL will send a team to the new Nines World Cup in Parramatta the weekend after the Super League Grand Final. But straight after that Great Britain will arrive in New Zealand to play Tonga, the Kiwis, Fiji and Samoa and come home via Papua New Guinea. Well, that’s the plan.Let’s be honest, the return of the Great Britain team is primarily a marketing move by the RFL, one based on exploiting the game’s rich heritage. I’m all for that, as are thousands of others. Richard Lewis suspended the League Lions after the 2007 series for good reasons. There was little sense in England only playing at World Cups, and Great Britain, this epic, touring legend, had stopped touring. Lewis promised to bring it back. The sabbatical has lasted 12 years. Related: England end Test series on sour note with thrashing by New Zealand Related: Meet the USA Rugby League World Cup captain . and organic food entrepreneur Continue readingread full article

Source: TheGuardian

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