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FEATURE STORY
Expanded Colonial Cup
As we suggested in our Year in Review article, 2011 represents a massive year for international Rugby League in America.
It will include more test matches for the USA Tomahawks in the one calendar year than they have played in a single season in a very long time.
The Tomahawks’ schedule opens with a renewal of the annual Battle of St Patrick’s Day with Ireland in March and continues with an expanded Colonial Cup series against Canada in September, before Rugby League World Cup qualifiers in October.
Last year marked the return of Canada to international Rugby League after a 10-year absence and the Wolverines turned in some encouraging performances despite going 0-3 against the US (2) and Jamaica.
The inaugural Colonial Cup match was played in Kingston, Ontario last September and after the Canadians gave the Tomahawks a real run for their money, as they did again at the Atlantic Cup in November, it has been decided to expand this year’s Cup to a two-game series.
The first match will be played in the US on September 10th with the return rubber to be hosted in Canada a week later on September 17th.
Venues have yet to be finalized.
The USA will then have two RLWC qualifiers in October against South Africa and Jamaica to determine which country will take the Atlantic zone seed into the 2013 World Cup in the UK.
The USA will then have two RLWC qualifiers in October against South Africa and Jamaica to determine which country will take the Atlantic zone seed into the 2013 World Cup in the UK.
In other news, the American National Rugby League is working on plans for the introduction of several new teams for its 2011 competition, as well as an expansion to western states and Hawaii.
Further details are expected to be announced in the coming months.
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