International rugby league heading to Coventry for the first time

International rugby league will be coming to Coventry’s Ricoh Arena for the very first time when it hosts two 2016 Four Nations games.

The venue will stage a double-header on Saturday, November 5, with England taking on Scotland at 5.30pm, followed by a repeat of the 2014 final when Australia face New Zealand at 8pm.

The tournament will arrive in Coventry for the second-round stage with England, under new Australian coach Wayne Bennett, looking to break the dominance of the Kangeroos and Kiwis.

It will be the highest level of the sport to be played in the city and only the second time the stadium has hosted rugby league, with Coventry Bears making their debut at the stadium on Sunday May 8th against Keighley.

Alan Robinson, Managing Director of Coventry Bears, believes the news will help to raise the profile of the sport in Coventry and the West Midlands region.

“The Four Nations coming to Coventry in the Autumn is fantastic news not only for our club, but also for the city and rugby league fans in the Midlands. It will help to significantly raise the profile of the sport and will encourage more people to get involved.

As a club we already run a number of successful community initiatives aimed at increasing participation in rugby league not only with children but also with older players looking for a social summer sport. We are very pleased to be part of this exciting tournament and hope it will drive further interest in these projects and the sport going forward. It is a very exciting time for Coventry"