England will get the chance to avenge their 2021 World Cup semi-final defeat when they face Samoa in a two-match Test series this autumn.
Shaun Wane’s side will take on the Samoans in Wigan on Sunday, October 27 before the second and final match at Headingley the following Saturday.
Stephen Crichton’s golden point drop-goal gave Samoa a stunning 27-26 win in their previous meeting at the Emirates Stadium in November 2022, knocking the tournament hosts out of the World Cup.
Wane, whose side will first take on France in Toulouse at the end of this month, said: “This is the positive news we’ve been waiting for.
“We face a tough challenge in France this month and we’ll prepare for that in the knowledge that we’ll have another crack at Samoa at the end of the season.
“Everyone knows how devastated we were to lose that World Cup semi-final. I know all the players will be as keen as me to take on Samoa again.”
Confirmation of the fixtures will come as a relief to rugby league officials who have struggled to sustain the international calendar in the wake of the World Cup.
England beat Tonga in a three-Test series last season, but must wait until 2026 for the next World Cup following France’s decision to pull out of hosting the 2025 event.
