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Men's rugby league Ashes (modern series)

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The Ashes
Tournament information
SportRugby league
Established2023
Participants
Upcoming Tournament: 2025 Ashes Series →

The Ashes series, similar to the cricket series of the same name, is a best-of-three series of test matches between Australia and England national rugby league football teams.

The inaugural tournament will take place in 2025 and is a revival of the original Ashes series between Australia and Great Britain which was contested 39 times between 1908 and 2003.

History

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Origins

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The original Ashes series was a best-of-three series of test matches between Australia and Great Britain national rugby league football teams.[1][2] It had been contested 39 times from 1908 until 2003 largely with hosting rights alternating between the two countries.[3]

By the time of the series demise in 2003, Australia led Great Britain 20 series win to 19, with Australia winning a record thirteen consecutive title since 1973.

Planned revivals

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In 2009 with the prospect of not contesting them until after the 2013 World Cup, Britain's Rugby Football League (RFL) challenged the Australian Rugby League (ARL) to play the round-robin stage match of the Four Nations tournament with the Ashes at stake. The one-off game would be a departure from the usual three-match series, additionally the contest would be between England, rather than Great Britain, and Australia.[4] The ARL initially agreed to the proposal but later, facing hostility from former Ashes players and fans who thought the proposals devalued the Ashes, the two governing bodies decided not to proceed.[5][6][7]

In 2016, newly appointed Australian team coach Mal Meninga, who as a player was selected to a record 4 Kangaroo Tours (the last two as captain) and played in a record 6 Ashes series (1982, 1984, 1986, 1990, 1992 and 1994 - playing a record 17 Ashes tests, only missing 1988 through injury), publicly advocated for a return of the Kangaroo Tours which would see The Ashes revived in 2020.[8] The proposed 2020 series was cancelled in June 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was later suggested that the series may instead be played in 2022, however this never eventuated.[9] In October 2022, Meninga stated that talks were underway for a potential Ashes tour of England in 2024.[10]

Modern series

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On 3 August 2023, the revival of The Ashes was announced by International Rugby League as part of their new 7-year international calendar and long-term strategy for growth of the international game. The revamped competition will also feature a women's test series for the first time,[a] with the first edition to take place in 2025.[11][12]

Results

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Year Winner Score Runners-up
Australia 2025
England 2028

Notes

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  1. ^ There had been previous women's Ashes test series, but this was never an established regular competition.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Hickey, Julia (2006). Understanding Rugby League. UK: Coachwise. p. 13. ISBN 978-1-905540-10-5. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
  2. ^ Sean Fagan (15 September 2009). "Rugby league's fight for The Ashes". rl1908.com. Archived from the original on 23 September 2009. Retrieved 23 September 2009.
  3. ^ McCann, Liam (2006). Rugby: Facts, Figures and Fun. UK: AAPPL Artists' and Photographers' Press. p. 80. ISBN 9781904332541.
  4. ^ "English chief calls for return of league Ashes". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 3 September 2009. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  5. ^ "Ashes brought back to life" skysports.com (4 September 2009)
  6. ^ Steve Mascord (16 September 2009). "Ashes set for 2010?". RugbyLeague.com. Retrieved 23 September 2009.
  7. ^ "RFL scrap Ashes plan". RugbyLeague.com. 15 September 2009. Retrieved 23 September 2009.
  8. ^ Mascord, Steve (20 November 2016). "Four Nations final 2016: Kangaroo Tours are back after success in England". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  9. ^ "Revived Ashes series in England cancelled 'with great reluctance'". The Guardian. 1 June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  10. ^ "Ashes to Ashes: Meninga eyes iconic series return for first time in 20 years". The Age. 16 October 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  11. ^ "Reduced Rugby League World Cup to take place in 2026". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  12. ^ "2026 Rugby League World Cup to be hosted in southern hemisphere". The Independent. 3 August 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
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