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![Not allowed!](images/buttons/up_dis.png)
THE Wallabies have agreed to play the Great Britain rugby league team in a $10 million hybrid-game spectacular at Wembley Stadium next year.
London's most famous football venue has been booked for December 6, a week after the Wallabies' last game on their 2014 spring tour.
The game will pit the likes of Israel Folau and Quade Cooper against the Burgess brothers, Gareth Widdop and Sam Tomkins in front of an anticipated full house of 92,000 fans.
All up, organisers are expecting to raise $20 million through gates, corporate sales, TV, sponsorship and merchandise.
An agreement was reached between the two football codes at a secret meeting in London last month.
The codes will be paid $5million each and the players will earn around $50,000 each for a one-off appearance.
On November 11, English Rugby League boss and World Cup tournament director Nigel Wood secretly met with Wallaby supremo Bill Pulver at London's swish Grange Holborn Hotel.
They both agreed to the game, subject to commercial terms, which will be finalised by the new year.
Wood was desperate for the opportunity to promote rugby league in London on the back of the recent World Cup.
The London Broncos are struggling to stay afloat in the Super League because of lack of interest.
A global media company is in the process of selling world-wide television rights and major sponsorships.
A consortium of Australian businessmen and rugby legends Bob Dwyer and Mark Ella were involved in the talks in London that secured the historic agreement.
One half will be played with 15 players with rugby union rules and the other half with 13 players with NRL rules.
The plan was to originally stage a Wallabies v Kangaroos game at ANZ Stadium in December.
NRL chief executive Dave Smith met with Pulver and the promoters but, after showing initial interest, knocked it back.
So the promoters took their $10 million proposal to England.
London based promoter Steve Berrick has been hired to oversee the game.
He has previously been in charge of Barbarians games and major events in the UK.
This will be the first of what organisers believe will become a regular showpiece on the football calendars.
The All Blacks have also been approached and showed initial interest in a game against the Kangaroos.
Previously, Wigan played Bath in a hybrid game in the UK and two Australian school teams played in a trial game at Brookvale Oval.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...#ixzz2mnHDVO4Q
“Everyone knows whether it’s rugby, politics or whatever, front-rowers should rule the world, so to have a hooker at the helm makes sense,” Nathan Charles Western Force & Wallabies Hooker.
A good pay day - but thats about all.
What ever the score, no matter the result.
Unions fans will still love union and Mungo fans will still do what ever it is that they do.
Exile
Port Macquarie
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!" - Rocky Balboa
Man I obviously need sleep - I swear I just read that the Wallabies are gonna play the England rugby league team...
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What a crock. I would rather see the Kangaroos play the Wallabies (or the AB's) in the truly hybrid game that was trialled between two schools teams a while back Ella was involved there too IIRC and the game went well from reports. That would have at least some merit.
The ARU must be desparate for cash to be involved in such a farce.
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Call it a succesful night if no one dies...
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This idea is bad and whoever agreed to it should feel bad
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I'm drunk and tired at the moment and still thought wtf after reading this
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It doesn't make the least bit of sense.
How are the League players going to scrum, line-out or compete at the breakdown?
We will have to roll out Ben Alexander, Saia Faingaa and Ben Daley (or the Melbourne Rebels front row) just to give them a sideways chance.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
What a load of cr**, just like those spectacular AFL internationals against Ireland
Simon Cron: “People talk about winning and losing all the time and they are critical, but there’s a process to get into and it’s the ability to stay present, do your job and execute skills under pressure.”
Who cares and why was the codes made up years ago different games different mind sets. Leave alone as two different codes as set down
Is it April already?
All Blacks should play the Queensland State of Origin team at Lang and Eden Park, what fun!![]()
Japan and the Pacific Islands for Aussie Super 9's!
Let's have one of these in WA! Click this link: Saitama Super Arena - New Perth Stadium?
I think it's be good. The Wigan v Bath games in the UK on the centenery were fantastic. They were played as a home and away.
Has anyone here not seen the football(soccer) v rugby game in France, ok that was light hearted, but it was a great spectacle.
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