Kiwis eyes test against Toa Samoa

By Thomas Airey 11 May 2020, 12:00PM

Toa Samoa could potentially have a test match to look forward to in November with New Zealand Rugby League investigating playing tests against Pacific nations.

With the National Rugby League season set to start on the 28th of May and run through late-October, New Zealand Rugby League boss Greg Peters is looking at having the Kiwis play the likes of Samoa and Tonga at the same time as State of Origin, according to Fox Sports.

Peters said the tests would probably take place in Australia given most of the players are based there with their international clubs, however New Zealand could also host matches if restrictions on international travel were lifted by then.

The Samoan national team were looking unlikely to play in 2020 after their June test against the Cook Islands was postponed in March along with the rest of the mid-year Oceania Cup fixtures.

At the time, the Asia Pacific Rugby League Confederation said they were committed to holding Oceania Cup fixtures in October and November, with chair Sandis Tsaka looking to get all the participants at least one international match in 2020.

The National Rugby League is going to kick off later this month behind closed doors, however Greg Peters said he wants crowds to be able to attend the proposed internationals in November.

Australia were set to welcome England on tour at the end of the year, however that looks unlikely given the countries’ relative COVID-19 situations.

They withdrew from the 2020 Oceania Cup because of the tour, leaving New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa, Papua New Guinea and the Cook Islands as the six nations competing.

Kiwis star Roger Tuivasa-Sheck said he was keen to get back out in the black jersey this year, especially with the 2021 Rugby League World Cup around the corner.

“With the World Cup, there’s so many teams looking really strong,” he said. 

“I’m pretty sure every international team would like to get together and start getting ready.

“Hopefully we can include it somewhere in this season.”

Tags

Rugby league
Toa Samoa
By Thomas Airey 11 May 2020, 12:00PM

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