Blow for England's rugby league World Cup hopes as decision made on mid-season Test

RL Commercial managing director Rhodri Jones today confirmed there are “no spare weekends in the calendar” for an England hit out as they prepare for the 10-team tournament in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Coach Shaun Wane felt lack of a warm-up game damaged his side’s prospects in this year’s Ashes Test series, which England lost 3-0 to the Kangaroos.

The full 2026 Betfred Super League fixture list will be published on Thursday. In a press briefing today (Tuesday), Jones confirmed: “There are some weekends in Super League when there are no games on a Sunday, so there is the potential opportunity for squad gatherings Sunday afternoons, Monday mornings. But in terms of actual fixtures, there is no space in the calendar.”

Jones added there are “no plans as yet for any England meet-ups next year”, but asked if that meant they would be going into the World Cup with “one hand tied behind their back”, he insisted: “I think it’s up to Super League to deliver the intensity that gets the players ready for that international period at the end of the year.

“I think it’s well debated around who would we play, would it be a competitive fixture? We have had games against France over the last couple of years and the reason why that hasn’t continued, I guess, is because of the perceived lack of quality on the field or lack of contest.”

Super League’s expansion from 12 to 14 clubs has raised fears over the intensity of matches next term. Jones, though, stressed: “It’s a fully-loaded domestic season, so it means everything is probably a bit more congested, but I think it is a fantastic-looking calendar domestically and hopefully puts England players in the right shape ready for the World Cup. I think the fact there’s a World Cup at the end of the year is a pretty big carrot in terms of aspiration for players. I’d like to think we’ll see the best of the players throughout the course of the year.”