League: Tri-Nations trial to pit 'brother against brother'

A team of New Zealanders in the NRL is likely to play one of compatriots from Super League at the end of this season in what will be a powerful trial for Tri-Nations places.

The Northern Hemisphere-Southern Hemisphere fixture Downunder will become an annual event leading into the three-way international series at the end of each year.

The 2006 game is set to be played at Hamilton's Waikato Stadium on October 7, the weekend after the NRL grandfinal and one week before the Super League grandfinal. Players from England who are not involved in the last playoff game and the October 14 final will be released, the England Rugby League has agreed.

The project is being pushed by NZRL board member Andrew Chalmers, who said that while the State of Origin was promoted as mate against mate, "in this we will have brother versus brother - Louis Anderson against Vinnie, Jason Cayless against Nathan. There could be Benji Marshall against Stacey Jones - there are some awesome match-ups."

It's a game the NZRL believes will sell well both live and for television here, in Australia and England. It also offers a serious trial and contest for those aspiring to Tri-Nations selection. Chalmers and Kiwis coach Brian McClennan want to expand the depth of test candidates and encourage competition for places.

The Tri-Nations opener between New Zealand and Australia is on October 14 but the NZRL has an agreement with the ERL that in future the Super League playoffs will be over before the three-way international begins.

The ERL is also proposing a test window for a regular game in June with future New Zealand-Great Britain games to be played on a weekend to limit damage to NRL clubs.

The Rugby League International Federation has sanctioned the proposal and details are to be worked out at its meeting before the Kiwis-Lions test in Christchurch on November 14.