Rugby league great Ellery Hanley will take charge of the Combined Nations All Stars when they take on England later this year.
Hanley, who collected 36 international caps for Great Britain during his playing career, takes over from last year’s All Stars coach Tim Sheens.
The All Stars secured a 26-24 victory over England last year and Hanley will be aiming for a similar result on Saturday 18 June at the Halliwell Jones Stadium against his former Wigan and Leeds teammate, Shaun Wane.
Wane will be keen to see his side show progress, too, as he continues his preparations for the Rugby League World Cup that will take place at the end of the year.
The clash will be England’s penultimate game before the World Cup gets underway, with a friendly against Fiji set to be played in Rochdale on October 7.
Dave Rotheram, RFL Chief On-field Officer, says: “With a World Cup on the horizon this is a hugely significant year for rugby league, and for our three England teams these fixtures will be a major part of tournament preparations.
“It’s also a blank weekend in the domestic calendar, so a fantastic opportunity for supporters to get behind England Rugby League."
The RFL have also announced that the All Stars jersey will be inspired by Tonga with all proceeds from sales going towards those affected by the tsunami that recently struck the country.
Tickets for the clash are available to purchase now at eticketing.co.uk/rugbyleague
