Brian Carney scores a try for Great Britain and Ireland against New Zealand during the 2005 Tri Nations

The return of the Lions and Kangaroos tours has been announced by the Rugby League International Federation.

The marquee tours are the main feature of a four-year calendar outlined at an international meeting of interested parties in Sydney on Tuesday.

This year's World Cup will be followed by a New Zealand tour to Europe in 2018, a Great Britain and Ireland Lions tour to the southern hemisphere in 2019 and a Kangaroos tour to Europe in 2020.

RLIF chairman Nigel Wood said: "I am sure supporters will welcome the re-introduction of Lions, Kangaroos and Kiwi tours in particular.

"But the calendar provides new opportunities for all our members and embraces the expansion of Nines, providing an exciting future for players, supporters and members alike."

RLIF chief executive Nigel Wood has welcomed the 'new opportunities'

The four-year cycle also includes an Emerging Nations Championship in 2018 leading up the 2021 World Cup which will be hosted by the Rugby Football League in the UK.

The RLIF is also committed to putting together a business plan for international Nines with the potential for a World Cup for men and women in 2019 and for both youth and women's nines to become a part of the Commonwealth Games

Festival in 2018.



Nines is a shorter form of the 13-a-side game which allows for a tournament to be completed in a day or over a single weekend.

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