A club showdown and a Test against France are on the cards as part of this year’s Kangaroos tour, Australia head coach Mal Meninga has revealed.
The reigning world champions are set to return to the Northern Hemisphere for a three-Test series against England in the autumn, although full details are yet to be confirmed.
Yet along with contesting a rugby league Ashes series for the first time since 2003, Meninga told Australia’s Daily Telegraph they hope to take on the French, along with possibly this year’s Betfred Super League champions or Betred Challenge Cup winners in an old-style midweek tour match.
“Playing against a club side would offer tribalism and you’d fill the stadium. There would be a lot of interest from clubs over there wanting to play us,” Meninga, who represented the Aussies as a player on four Kangaroo tours, said.
“There would be a carrot there not only for the Kangaroos but also for the club side, who wouldn’t have experienced anything like this before.
“The clubs and owners over there could pitch for the game.
“Having spoken to the players, we’d love to build into the schedule a Test against France before the Ashes series.”
Australia have not faced a club side on an Ashes tour since the 1994 series, while their most recent loss to an English club side was an 11-10 defeat to Widnes way back in 1978.
The Kangaroos’ 2003 tour did include a Test against France in Carcassone, which they won 34-10, along with a 26-22 warm-up victory over England A at London Broncos’ then-home of Griffin Park.
Chris Anderson’s squad would go on to complete a 3-0 sweep of Great Britain, retaining the Ashes they have held since 1973.
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