England lock in end of year series as Southern Hemisphere internationals take shape

Tonga have confirmed they will tour England for a three-Test series in October and November.

It's the first time a Tier 2 team have made a trip to tour England, with New Zealand and Australia the only countries doing so previously.

The tour comes after Tonga made the quarter-finals of last year's Rugby League World Cup campaign, but were ultimately knocked over by arch rivals Samoa, who would go on to make the final of the tournament for the first time.

Tonga's confirmation of a tour to England squashes hope of a Four Nations tournament occurring in the Southern Hemisphere, but News Corp have confirmed that a replacement to be played during the four-week block for internationals has already sprung up.

Instead of a Four Nations tournament, simultaneous Tri Nations tournaments are now expected to be played, with the report suggesting Australia, New Zealand and Samoa will be involved in the first, with it to be played in either Australia or New Zealand.

The second tournament will feature Papua New Guinea, Fiji and the Cook Islands, with it to be held in either the Papua New Guinean capital Port Moresby, or in Fiji.

It's unclear if the two winners would ultimately square off.

It's understood plans for the Tri Nations tournaments are close to being formalised, while Tonga will prepare for their series in England, and hope to be at full strength as they were for the World Cup.

England coach Shaun Wane said in a statement released by England Rugby League that he was excited for the series.

“I'm absolutely thrilled at the prospect of hosting a such a huge, three-game Test series against Tonga later this year," Wane said in a statement.

"Throughout my time as England head coach I have said we need to challenge ourselves against the best sides the international game has to offer – and Tonga are certainly one of those.

"They've been a real success story on the international stage in recent years, building on their exploits at the 2017 World Cup, and they will offer a real test.

"The series offers another chance to showcase the international game on home soil following on from the success of last year's World Cup.

"It's also a great opportunity for us to get three high-quality Test Matches under our belt as we continue to push towards the next World Cup in 2025.

"Hopefully we see the rugby league public come out and support us once again as we look for a series victory."