League: Tri-Nations to be held Down Under

Next year's Tri-Nations between Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain will be held in the southern hemisphere, it has been confirmed.

Newstalk ZB reported that Australia would hold the bulk of the matches, though some would be in New Zealand.

The final of this year's tournament is in Leeds, England, on Sunday morning (NZT) when the Kiwis take on Australia.


Kiwis coach Brian McClennan has described the prospect of Stacey Jones appearing in the final as "impossible", but that hasn't stopped the mercurial halfback being widely tipped to play.


McClennan has misled the media over Jones' availability at times during the tournament, preferring to keep his joker up his sleeve.


His latest statements that Jones won't play on Saturday have been widely ignored in Britain and Australia.


Under a heading "Jones to Play for Kiwis", Britain's best selling rugby league weekly ran a story on Monday saying Jones would return.


The story said Jones was poised to jump on a flight immediately after a planned birth by Caesarean section of his third child on Thursday.


He would arrive in Britain 26 hours before the final.


The Sydney Morning Herald also reported that Jones would play.


McClennan, however, has stuck to his policy of denial.


"He's going to be at home," McClennan said.


"We knew that all along. Everyone can come to our trainings, have a look and see if they can find him and if they can let me know..."


- HERALD ONLINE STAFF, NZPA