Kiwis will contest Oceania Cup in 2019 with Lions tour set for southern hemisphereGETTY IMAGES New Zealand's Esan Masters with an arm free during the Kiwis series with England. There is quite the shake-up planned for international rugby league in 2019 and beyond and New Zealand will be part of an Oceania Cup competition and a proposed Great Britain Lions tour of the southern hemisphere. The Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) board on Sunday said it had approved major changes to the international calendar, rolling out matches for the next eight years following a meeting of the governing body's congress in York, England, with the Kiwis confirmed to play Australia and Tonga next year. Also announced was the plan for a Great Britain team to tour the southern hemisphere - subject to consultation with the major playing leagues and the players' representatives - for tests against the Kiwis, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and Papua New Guinea. "We are delighted to have the support of the RLIF and member nations for a significant calendar of rugby league events in New Zealand," Peters said in a statement.

Source: Stuff November 10, 2018 20:37 UTC