Venues revealed for England-Samoa series as two-Test contest nears confirmation

England and Samoa are set to play a two-Test series later this autumn after talks on a long-awaited series between the pair finally edged towards completion, according to reports in the national media.

The Sun is reporting that rather than the initial three-Test series that many had assumed would be the case later this autumn, there will instead be a two-match contest between Shaun Wane’s side and the Samoans.

Love Rugby League has learned those two games will be split across the Pennines, with one of them to be played in Leeds, likely Headingley Stadium at the end of the season. Wigan’s Brick Community Stadium has been mooted as another possible option.

The series will evoke painful memories for England supporters of the last time the two nations met, in the semi-finals of the 2022 Rugby League World Cup, when Samoa won in dramatic fashion to set up a final against Australia.

The Test series had long since been earmarked before the Samoans opted to pull out late last year, in a bid to instead play in the Pacific Championships back Down Under.

However, it now looks as though they will be able to do both and compete in that and a series on the other side of the world, with only two games between England and Samoa on the calendar at the end of this season.

Nonetheless, it will provide English supporters with an end-of-season series to look forward to when, just a few months ago, it appeared England had no plans whatsoever for later this year.

The news also adds extra context to England’s one-off summer Test against France later this month, with Wane now able to use that game as a stepping stone towards the Samoan series at the end of the season.

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