Rugby league bosses have taken a major step towards setting up the game's first Five Nations competition by announcing plans yesterday for a three-team tournament this autumn involving Scotland, Ireland and France.
The Home Internationals will take place at the end of the Super League season following a climb-down by the Rugby Football League (RFL). They had originally planned to hold the event during the three-week mid-season break in July.
However, clubs did not want it to interfere with the `Super League on the road' series of matches, so the RFL have decided to move it to after the Grand Final which will be staged on October 24th.
Scotland and Ireland played a friendly against France last year, with the Irish drawing in Paris and Scotland going down to a narrow defeat in Glasgow.
Ireland field a side containing a smattering of Super League stars who qualify through parentage. England will face Wales for the first time in two years in Widnes on July 19th as part of this year's international calendar. Wales will be coached by Clive Griffiths, with Britain coach Andy Goodway and manager Phil Lowe in charge of the England team. Billy McGinty will lead the Scotland side, Steve O'Neil of Salford will coach Ireland and Sheffield boss John Kear is again in charge of France.
