League: New Zealand give green light for Tri-Series

International rugby league bosses have given the go-ahead for the Tri-Series this year.

Australian Rugby League chief executive Geoff Carr had sent an email to New Zealand Rugby League chairman Selwyn Pearson this week seeking his support for a revised tournament format.

Dates and venues have yet to be finalised but the series will once more begin in the Southern Hemisphere before moving to England, where the Rugby Football League (RFL) will act as hosts, as they did for the inaugural series in 2004.

This time Australia and New Zealand will play both matches against each other before leaving for England, thus reducing their time away from home and appeasing the Australian players, who consistently voiced their concerns over the length of the six-week tour last year.

The Australians had threatened to pull the plug on this year's tournament unless the format was amended but the green light came yesterday when written confirmation was received from the Kiwis.

"We can now begin the detailed planning and preparation to ensure that the staging of this year's tournament will build on the tremendous success of the inaugural event," said Richard Lewis, executive chairman of the RFL and vice-chairman of the International Federation.

"The 2004 series captured the imagination of the sporting public in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres and proved to be a great vehicle."

- AAP