New Zealand Rugby League is pleased to announce the New Zealand Residents team will play against the England Community Lions on November 1st at Trusts Arena in Auckland.

The game will be televised live on SKY Sport and is set to Kick off at 6:35pm.

The Residents squad will make up the best from the NZRL National Men’s competition, taking place from September 14th to October 5th. This match will showcase New Zealand’s highest quality grassroots players as they take on England’s best community names.

The sought after fixture will be the closing bout of the first-ever England Community Lions tour down under. The England Community Lions will also come up against a North Island Championship Selection at Owen Delany Park in Taupo on October 24 and the New Zealand Māori Residents XIII team in Rotorua on Sunday, October 27. All games will be televised live on SKY Sport.

Greg Peters, CEO of NZRL, says this fixture will further showcase the undeniable regional talent on offer.

“Our National Men’s competition brings out the best of our grassroots talent from up and down the country and now that we’re adding in the Residents selection as something else to play for, the standard of the competition will only increase.

“It’s extremely exciting, not only for the players but for the game in general. The more opportunities we give to our local players, the better the game gets and to come up against an international side is a bonus. The Community Lions tour in itself is a great milestone for our game, now coupled with the inclusion of the Residents match – our game is in an exciting place.”

The first weekend of November will be jam-packed with New Zealand Rugby League action at all levels, as the Residents take on the England Community Lions on Friday 1st closely followed by the much-anticipated clash between the Great Britian Lions and Kiwis on Saturday 2nd November.

The NZRL Residents squad will be announced at the conclusion of the NZRL National Men’s Competition.