The 2024 Samoa rugby league tour of England was a two-match tour by the Samoa national rugby league team to England in October and November 2024.
Background Organisation The 2024 Samoa tour of England was being discussed between the two nations following the conclusion of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup in addition to the previous year's Tonga tour of England. The tour was all but confirmed on 3 August 2023, when International Rugby League announced their long-awaited international calendar following the cancellation of the 2025 Rugby League World Cup. This initially did not happen with Samoa eventually declining their tour invitation on 9 November, in order to play in the returning Rugby League Pacific Championship (a competition which began in 2019 but never had a second edition due to the COVID-19 pandemic) for the 2024 edition.
On 27 November, Samoa re-engaged talks about the potential test series, and on 13 June 2024 the tour was confirmed, but with only a two-match test series (one short of a traditional tour), with the hope that the reduced schedule would allow Samoa to compete in the 2024 Rugby League Pacific Championships as well.
In December 2024, International Rugby League Chairman Troy Grant revealed that the tour when ahead as a result of the Australian Rugby League Commission provided support to Samoa, with the Rugby League Samoa having reservations on the financial feasibility of the tour.
Teams Official rankings ahead of the tourRankTeam3 174.004 170.00
The tour was Samoa's first tour to a European Rugby League nation, and only the second of a Pacific Island Nation, after Tonga's 2023 tour.
The games were the sixth and seventh meetings of the two sides with England winning all previous encounters except for the most recent – the 2021 World Cup semi-final.
Upon the initial planning of the tour, Samoa were above England in the World Rankings (still 3rd and 4th), but a successful 2023 test series against Tonga for England and an unsuccessful 2023 Pacific Championships for Samoa flipped these rankings.
During the tour, Samoa were based at York Knights's York Community Stadium.
Venues
Wigan Leeds Brick Community Stadium Headingley Capacity: 25,138 Capacity: 19,700
Squads England A 31 man train-on squad was announced on 6 September 2024. The final squad was announced on 16 October 2024.
Player ClubMatty Ashton Warrington WolvesJohn Bateman Warrington WolvesTom Burgess South Sydney RabbitohsDaryl Clark St HelensBen Currie Warrington WolvesHerbie Farnworth DolphinsEthan Havard Wigan WarriorsChris Hill Huddersfield GiantsMorgan Knowles St HelensMatty Lees St HelensMikey Lewis Hull KRLiam Marshall Wigan WarriorsMike McMeeken Catalans DragonsJunior Nsemba Wigan WarriorsHarry Newman Leeds RhinosKai Pearce-Paul Newcastle KnightsVictor Radley Sydney RoostersHarry Smith Wigan WarriorsMorgan Smithies Canberra Raiders Luke Thompson Wigan WarriorsDanny Walker Warrington WolvesJack Welsby St HelensGeorge Williams (c) Warrington WolvesDom Young Sydney Roosters
Samoa The squad was announced on 9 October 2024.
Player Club Anthony Milford Dolphins Blaize Talagi Parramatta Eels Deine Mariner Brisbane Broncos Francis Molo St George Illawarra Dragons Gordon Chan Kum Tong Manly Sea Eagles Izack Tago Penrith Panthers Jake Tago Parramatta Eels Jarome Luai (c) Wests Tigers Jazz Tevaga Manly Sea Eagles Jeral Skelton Wests Tigers Jeremiah Nanai North Queensland Cowboys John Asiata Leigh Leopards Josiah Pahulu Gold Coast Titans Junior Pauga Sydney Roosters Keenan Palasia Leeds Rhinos Lazarus Vaalepu Melbourne Storm Luciano Leilua St George Illawarra Dragons Paul Roache New Zealand Warriors Ricky Leutele Leigh Leopards Roger Tuivasa-Sheck New Zealand Warriors Shawn Blore Melbourne Storm Simi Sasagi Canberra Raiders Terrell May Sydney Roosters
Matches First test The first test had an average television audience of 513,000, peaking at 682,000, equating to 7.2% of the audience share.
Second test The second test match of the series was played at Headingley Stadium as a double header with an England vs Wales women's international test match being played beforehand.
Broadcasting Both matches of the tour were broadcast locally live on BBC Sport in the UK. For countries outside the UK and Ireland, the games were streamed on Super League+, with select countries also televising the event.
RegionBroadcasterUnited KingdomBBC TwoAustraliaFox SportsNew ZealandSky SportPacific IslandsDigicelUnited States and CaribbeanFox SportsElsewhereSuperLeague+
References