Great Britain RL Lions return marked with whimper rather than roar

In what should have been a triumphant moment for international rugby league, the RFL confirmed this week that the Great Britain and Ireland Lions will return in 2019 after a decade of dormancy.

Instead, the announcement left many disappointed, as it was announced that the side’s southern hemisphere tour would not include a stop to face world champions Australia. Despite months of negotiations, the country’s governing body for the sport – with its hands tied by the NRL – was unwilling to release its players from their club duties during the off-season.

While Australia will tour the UK in 2020, it will be England rather than the full might of the Lions they face, as the brand has been revived only for tours on foreign soil.

GB to face New Zealand, PNG and Tonga

Instead, Great Britain will face New Zealand (twice), Papua New Guinea and Tonga in their four-match tour between October and November. There’s no doubt it will be a competitive series – Tonga pushed England all the way in the 2017 World Cup – but it can’t be heralded as the pinnacle of international rugby league if the reigning world champions aren’t taking part.

Indeed, the RFL’s rugby director Kevin Sinfield – himself a legend of the GB shirt – could barely hide his disappointment when addressing the media last week. “It’s a shame we’re not going to Australia but it is what it is,” he admitted.

🦁 GREAT BRITAIN ARE BACK

We're so excited to be back and touring again this Autumn 🇳🇿🇹🇴🇵🇬 pic.twitter.com/vOOGb7H6mG

— Rugby Football League (@TheRFL) March 5, 2019

After a fierce and legendary Tri-Nations series in 2006, followed by a dominant whitewash over New Zealand the following year, the Lions were disbanded prior to the 2008 World Cup, with the governing body’s reasoning being they wanted to strengthen the individual home nations in the UK. In reality, it is believed that a funding dispute with Sport England was behind the change. Wales, Ireland and Scotland’s international sides are certainly barely better off than they were a decade ago.

Sinfield: No ‘token’ picks for Lions

Indeed, the Lions are set to resemble the England rugby league team in all but name. This has been all but confirmed by Sinfield himself, who affirmed that Lions coach Wayne Bennett – who will retain his role as England coach – will not be swayed by inclusion targets or ‘tokenism’ when it comes to player selection. “We’ll consider anybody and everybody who qualifies. What I can say is that we will not devalue that shirt or take someone as a token pick,” the 14-times-GB-capped Sinfield stated. “I don’t think that’s fair to the players who have played in it in the past.”

Sinfield’s statement also seemingly confirmed that ‘heritage’ players will be considered; those who qualify for GB selection by parentage or residential status. These decisions, in tandem, must be viewed as a positive: after all, the Great Britain Lions have a rich history in the sport, winning the World Cup on three occasions, and representing the zenith of the sport throughout the UK and Ireland.

It’s a shame, then, that administrative politics have forced the Kangaroos to sit out this year’s tour. And with Sinfield hinting that he expects Great Britain to tour on a four-yearly basis, it may be some time before the British public are able to see the Lions take on the best in the world.