England Under-21 Rugby League Side to Meet South Africa
England’s Under 21 stars will have a chance to cut their international teeth when they play South Africa in a two-match series later this year.
Following a visit to South Africa by the RFL Performance Director Nick Halafihi and Great Britain Head Coach David Waite last week, the South African Rugby League via their president Barry Haslam has confirmed that the England Under 21 team is expected to play against the Rhinos in Johannesburg and Pretoria in the autumn.
Halafihi said: 'It’s a really exciting prospect for our young international players to face another country’s full international squad.
'We are currently having talks about when the matches will be staged and I shall be discussing with the Tetley’s Super League clubs when we can obtain the release of the players.'
Halafihi also revealed that he opened negotiations with the South African Rugby League about the possibility of staging a Tri-Nations tournament between the Rhinos, the England Under 21 team and the French international side who will be in the country at about the same time as the English side.
'Barry Haslam is looking at the project and the French Federation are giving our idea serious consideration,' he added.
For more details contact:
John Huxley
Marketing & PR Manager
johnh@rfl.uk.com
Issued by: The Rugby Football League Media & Marketing Dept., Red Hall, Red Hall Lane, Leeds LS17 8NB
Tel: 0113 237 5014
Fax: 0113 232 3838
Email: info@rfl.uk.com
Following a visit to South Africa by the RFL Performance Director Nick Halafihi and Great Britain Head Coach David Waite last week, the South African Rugby League via their president Barry Haslam has confirmed that the England Under 21 team is expected to play against the Rhinos in Johannesburg and Pretoria in the autumn.
Halafihi said: 'It’s a really exciting prospect for our young international players to face another country’s full international squad.
'We are currently having talks about when the matches will be staged and I shall be discussing with the Tetley’s Super League clubs when we can obtain the release of the players.'
Halafihi also revealed that he opened negotiations with the South African Rugby League about the possibility of staging a Tri-Nations tournament between the Rhinos, the England Under 21 team and the French international side who will be in the country at about the same time as the English side.
'Barry Haslam is looking at the project and the French Federation are giving our idea serious consideration,' he added.
For more details contact:
John Huxley
Marketing & PR Manager
johnh@rfl.uk.com
Issued by: The Rugby Football League Media & Marketing Dept., Red Hall, Red Hall Lane, Leeds LS17 8NB
Tel: 0113 237 5014
Fax: 0113 232 3838
Email: info@rfl.uk.com