THERE are guaranteed to be fireworks at the Ricoh Arena tomorrow night when a double header of international rugby league kicks off.
The second weekend of the Four Nations tournament sees England face Scotland before Australia play New Zealand in Coventry.
Defending champions New Zealand face World Cup winners Australia, with the winners taking a big step towards the final at Anfield in two weeks’ time.
Both teams won their opening games last weekend, with New Zealand beating England 17-16 and Australia enjoying a more comfortable victory over Scotland, winning 54-12.
England will be favourites to beat Scotland, who are making their first appearance in the Four Nations tournament.
But for rugby league fans in the Midlands it is the chance to see the southern hemisphere giants going toe-to-toe which will be much more exciting.
Both teams are packed with stars with Greg Inglis and Jonathan Thurston among the big names for the Kangaroos while the Kiwis’ line-up includes Shaun Johnson and Isaac Luke.
New Zealand have won three of the last five major tournaments, adding the Four Nations titles in 2010 and 2014 to their World Cup victory in 2008. However Australia won the Four Nations in 2011 and the World Cup in 2013 and are desperate to regain their official ranking as the world’s best Test nation.
More than 20,000 tickets have been sold and Four Nations tournament director Jon Dutton is expecting a great atmosphere at the Ricoh Arena.
He said: “Coventry’s long-term vision for the game of rugby is helping to drive the Midlands’ interest in the game as a whole, and we believe bringing these prestigious games here will help to fuel that further.
“We are sure that the double-header will deliver some explosive, memorable action in a very special atmosphere.”
It is not the first time international rugby league has been played in the Midlands, although it has been a while between matches.
England beat Wales in a friendly in 1910 at Coventry’s Butts Park Arena, and beat an Australasia team in Nottingham the following year.
Villa Park hosted the first-ever Australian touring team in 1909, when the Northern Union side won 6-5 to clinch a series win.
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