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.
Australia's Quade Cooper in action kicking a penalty.
Australia's Quade Cooper in action kicking a penalty.Source: AP
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.
James Graham im the World Cup semi-final.
James Graham im the World Cup semi-final.Source: Getty Images
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.

The main reason they're playing this gimmick in England is because this shit just wouldn't fly in Australia.

It would. You would sell out ANZ 3 weeks in a row if the Wallabies played the Kangaroos

League & Union need to start working out a merge.

Desperate times call for desperate ideas.

My thoughts exactly.

League & Union need to start working out a merge.

Sounds like a gimmick.

Wonder what other sports would resort to this?

It'd be all league fans though.

League & Union need to start working out a merge.

Rugby is struggling in Australia but thriving elsewhere. Not gonna happen in our lifetime.

You mean like how the NSL champions played the VFL back in the 1964?



Edited by afromanGT: 9/12/2013 10:45:09 AM

That would've been an interesting game, considering the NSL started in 1977.

The main reason they're playing this gimmick in England is because this shit just wouldn't fly in Australia.

Dunno, league and union fans have wondered what a hybrid game would be like for decades.

I think you'd get a decent crowd in October if marketed properly.

I wonder why they aren't playing these games at Twickenham ?

Oh, Dockerty Cup. My mistake. Of course, you knew what it was called.

Yep would easily sellout up here.

Played for CHARITY
Played association football for it's entirety and it only happened because the fucking loudmouths of the VFL gave zero credit to any skill in our code.
Known as "the game that never happened" and for good reason if you follow AFL


Difference much

I wonder why they aren't playing these games at Twickenham ?

About 8,000 seats.

The main reason they're playing this gimmick in England is because this shit just wouldn't fly in Australia.

What a moronic comment. If anything it would take off and create a new sport and league with the Murdoch machine jizzing all over itself with the ol prick swallowing all the jizz.

League & Union need to start working out a merge.