Brisbane to host Four Nations final

THE schedule for the 2010 Four Nations series has been confirmed with Brisbane’s Lang Park securing the final on November 13.

Tournament series partners the Australian Rugby League, the New Zealand Rugby League and England’s Rugby Football League have announced a seven-match schedule including a ‘double-header’ at Auckland’s re-developed Eden Park Stadium.

Parramatta Stadium will host the first of three Australian events with the Kangaroos taking on one of the star teams of the 2008 World Cup and the reigning Pacific Cup winner Papua New Guinea.

Melbourne will also host the Kangaroos when they take on England, during one of the great international sporting festivals - the Spring Racing Carnival. The stadium for this match is still to be confirmed.

The Four Nations brings together Australia, New Zealand and England as well as, this year, PNG whose Pacific Cup success last October qualified them for the tournament.

2010 represents the second year of the Four Nations tournament and the first time the event has come to the Southern Hemisphere.

“The first Four Nations series was an overwhelming success at every level,” Rugby League International Federation and Australian Rugby League Chairman, Mr Colin Love AM, said today.

“The excitement among English crowds and international television audiences again demonstrated the tremendous appetite that exists for International Rugby League.

“The rivalry between Australia, New Zealand and England couldn’t be more intense and PNG have proven time and again that they can mix it with anyone on the day.

“This is going to be a fabulous contest that will bring together the best players in the game over three incredible weeks of matches.”

Four Nations schedule:

October 23: New Zealand v England, Westpac Stadium, Wellington

October 24: Australia v Papua New Guinea, Parramatta Stadium

October 30: New Zealand v Papua New Guinea, International Stadium, Rotorua

October 31: Australia v England, Melbourne venue TBC

November 6: England v Papua New Guinea, Eden Park, Auckland

November 6: New Zealand v Australia, Eden Park, Auckland

November 13: Tournament Final, Lang Park, Brisbane

http://www.qrl.com.au

Lam's anger at new Four Nations fixtures


Above: Australai's Darren Lockyer with last season's Four Nations trophy

By STEVE MASCORD

Rugby League's return to Eden Park for a Four Nations double-header has not been universally welcomed, with Papua New Guinea coach Adrian Lam saying his country was not consulted about playing England in Auckland.

The final round of pool matches in the end-of-season tournament will be staged at the rugby union citadel on November 6, with England-PNG to be followed by New Zealand-Australia.

NZRL chief executive Jim Doyle described the news as "a huge boost for New Zealand sport" but Kumuls coach Adrian Lam was considerably less thrilled when contacted by rugbyleague.com

"I only heard about this at the beginning of the week and it's pretty disappointing that we weren't even consulted - yet again," he said.

"There were people in PNG who really hoped we could host just one game. And if not, why not in Townsville? I'm sure the poms wouldn't want to play us there in the heat.

"No-one asked us where we wanted to play. Look, we've got nothing to lose, at least we've earned the right to play in the quad-nations."

Lam agreed that PNG's inability to qualify for one home international reflected poorly on the bid for an NRL licence.

The tournament kicks off at Wellington's Westpac Stadium on October 23 with New Zealand taking on England. Australia and PNG meet at Parramatta Stadium the next day. The series then moves to Rotorua and Melbourne before the double-header and a final at Lang Park. The Rugby League International Federation player of the year awards will be held in Auckland.

England and the Kiwis will each play warm-up games in New Zealand, most likely against Pacific nations and perhaps as another double-header.

Doyle said: "This double-header will be the biggest rugby league event in New Zealand since the 1988 World Cup final at Eden Park and could become the biggest of all time.

"It'll be a tremendous moment for the game to have rugby league's major powers all playing at the same ground on the same day.

"It's also a huge honour for our game that we'll actually be giving the new-look Eden Park one of its first major attractions."

RLIF executive chairman Colin Love added: "The first Four Nations series was an overwhelming success at every level.

"The excitement among English crowds and international television audiences again demonstrated the tremendous appetite that exists for International rugby reague.

"The rivalry between Australia, New Zealand and England couldn't be more intense and PNG have proven time and again that they can mix it with anyone on the day.

"This is going to be a fabulous contest that will bring together the best players in the game over three incredible weeks of matches."

2010 FOUR NATIONS - SCHEDULE

October 23 New Zealand v England Westpac Stadium, Wellington

October 24 Australia v Papua New Guinea Parramatta Stadium, Sydney

October 30 New Zealand v Papua New Guinea International Stadium, Rotorua

October 31 Australia v England Melbourne venue TBC

November 6 England v Papua New Guinea Eden Park, Auckland

November 6 New Zealand v Australia Eden Park, Auckland

November 13 Four Nations Final Lang Park, Brisbane

http://rugbyleague.com/rugby-league-new ... -four.html

Just watching NRL Tactics, and they are advertising the Four Nations between Australia and England at AAMI Park in Melbourne, as part of a weekend of Derby Day Saturday and the Four Nations on Sunday (I think), and already selling packages. Great to see!

I heard somewhere Ben Barba would be picked for PNG. Is he eligible?

Didn't know he was a PNG player.

he's fijian...

born:13 June 1989 (1989-06-13) (age 21) Nadi, Fiji

New ads for the Four Nations in NZ.

Banner:


TV Ad:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWisYh4I ... r_embedded

England announce Maori clash

Thursday 5th August 2010



England will play the New Zealand Maori as part of their preparations for the Four Nations.

Steve McNamara's men will face the Maoris in Auckland on October 16, a week before their opening game against New Zealand in Wellington.

"This game is going to play an important part of our preparations and we're all really looking forward to playing the New Zealand Maori," said McNamara.

"We've made slow starts in our last two international tournaments, the 2008 Rugby League World Cup and the Gillette Four Nations last year, and this match gives us the opportunity to ensure we hit the ground running."

The fixture will feature any players who will have played in the Grand Final on October 2, as well as any players selected that currently play in Australia's NRL.

England's preparations will also feature a warm-up game with Cumbria in October, as a fundraiser for the family of former Workington forward Garry Purdham who was one of 12 people killed by gunman Derrick Bird earlier this year.

http://rugbyleague.com/rugby-league-new ... clash.html

16 October Four Nations Warm Up NZ Maori v England Mt Smart, Auckland
16 October Four Nations Warm Up Kiwis v Samoa Mt Smart, Auckland
23 October Four Nations Kiwis v England Westpac Stadium, Wellington
24 October Four Nations Australia v PNG Parramatta Stadium, Sydney
30 October Four Nations Kiwis v PNG Rotorua Int'l Stadium, Rotorua
31 October Four Nations Australia v England AAMI Park, Melbourne
6 November Four Nations Double Header England v PNG Eden Park, Auckland
6 November Four Nations Double Header Kiwis v Australia Eden Park, Auckland
13 November Four Nations Final TBC Lang Park, Brisbane

Australia and PNG have not added any warm up games at this time. But Hopefully they could play a Indigenous, Fiji, Tonga or Cook Islands side.

Sam Burgess, Benji Marshall, Darren Lockyer & ??? who's the PNG player? he looks familiar but i can't put a name to the face.

David Mead?

Four Nations Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fournations

Yup its david moors AKA mead

I just saw this again, Check out Bronson Harrison about 15 secs in.........the look on his face.......I wouldn't try and stop him!!!