League: Kiwis to tour England in 2015

Kiwis halfback Shaun Johnson. Photo / File

The Kiwis will play three tests against England on an end-of-season northern hemisphere tour at the end of next year.

The tour replaces a proposed French tour to New Zealand.

In England, the series is being billed as the first opportunity for the home side to avenge their heart-breaking World Cup semifinal loss to the Kiwis at Wembley last year. On that occasion, Kiwis five-eighth Shaun Johnson converted his try after the final hooter to steal victory and a spot in the final.

"We're excited to return to the United Kingdom, which is still buzzing from the success of that World Cup tournament," said NZRL chief executive Phil Holden.

"It will give us another chance to build on the intense rivalry between these two sides and will provide the Kiwis with another important stepping stone as we build towards the next World Cup in 2017, co-hosted here and in Australia."

The tour means New Zealand and England will face each other through four consecutive years in the World Cup build-up. They are already scheduled to clash in the 2014 and 2016 Four Nations tournaments.

"Whenever we've toured there in the past, it has proved very challenging in terms of facing England on home soil," said Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney. "The World Cup was really the first time we'd won there in quite some time.

"When you look at the way their players have continued to develop in the NRL, you can see it will be a real contest and vital towards our preparation for the next World Cup."

New Zealand will also host England in Dunedin later this year as part of the Four Nations.