England boss Shaun Wane talks potential Ashes tour venues amid Wigan joke

Shaun Wane is confident that fitting venues will be found to host Australia’s first Ashes tour of England since 2003. England were due to make the journey Down Under in 2025 following their 2-0 series whitewash win over Samoa this year, but reports emerged earlier this week that the Kangaroos could be set to make the journey to the Northern Hemisphere instead.

England haven’t faced Australia since the 2017 Rugby League World Cup final and while the Kangaroos have been over to England with regularity over the last couple of decades, the two nations haven’t played an Ashes series in 21 years. There is expected to be huge interest in the tour, then, should it go ahead, and potential venues have already become a talking point.

This year’s Tests were held at the Brick Community Stadium in Wigan and Leeds Rhinos’ Headingley. However, the latter venue certainly will not be big enough to host Australia next year, with bigger, more high profile stadiums required.

As a gauge, more than 35,000 made the trip to the London Stadium in November 2016 for England v Australia in the last Four Nations tournament held, while 42,344 watched the two sides go head to head at Wembley in 2011.

Organisers will almost certainly be looking for host stadiums away from the usual rugby league circuit then and asked where he felt the series could played, Wane mentioned Leeds United’s Elland Road as one potential option.

“All three in Wigan would be good,” Wane joked with a wry grin. “No, I’ve not really thought about it, we’ve got that many potential venues, Wigan holds 25, Bolton 28, Elland Road is a good one, I’ve had some good ones at Elland Road.

“I’m sure they’ll pick three really good venues and the atmosphere, they’ve not been here for 20 years and you look at the superstars they have, we’ve got our own superstars so it’s going to be fantastic.

“I remember years ago going down to Wembley to watch Great Britain play and there was tens of thousands there, the atmosphere was fantastic.

“We want those times back. I want to play Australia and for there to be 50/60,000 baying for their blood with a good atmosphere. We’re all patriotic and that’s what I want. I’d love to be coach in a game like that.”