City-Country scrapped

The NSW town of Mudgee will host City-Country Origin this year, the final match before the competition is scrapped.

The NSWRL has confirmed that the contest, which has been played since 1911, will not take place in 2018.

The Glen Willow Regional Sports Stadium in Mudgee will host the match on Sunday, 7 May.

The NRL‘s Head of Football Brian Canavan said the final City-Country match would usher in a new era of Rugby League for country regions.

“While it is disappointing that we cannot fit this game into the schedule post 2017, we are determined to take more Rugby League to regional New South Wales and other communities throughout the country,” Canavan said.

“We want to encourage all our club sides to showcase their stars to country fans during the Telstra Premiership.

“In the draw we will be releasing shortly, there will be a host of games played throughout the country – and that is a trend which will continue.”