They aren’t test matches.
But Australia will face France in a pair of opposed training sessions in London next weekend, as the two sides prepare for very different international challenges.
Kevin Walters will use the sessions on October 17 and 18 to fine-tune the Kangaroos squad for the opening Ashes test against historic rivals England at Wembley Stadium on Saturday October 25.
Meanwhile the French are looking to secure one of the final two places at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup with a winner-take-all clash against Jamaica—the only IRL full member from the Americas region—at Stadium d'Albi on the same day.
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On the other side of the planet, the southern hemisphere World Cup play-off will see Cook Islands play South Africa at Sydney’s CommBank Stadium on Sunday November 9 during the 2025 Pacific Championships.
The two winners will then join Australia, England, Fiji, Lebanon, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga in next year’s ten-team World Cup tournament to be held in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Australia vs France, a lopsided rugby league rivalry
While technically only training runs, the opposed sessions next weekend will renew an international rivalry that began back in 1938.
Since then the two nations have played 62 times with Australia holding a 46 wins to 14 advantage.
The most recent clash came at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup when Australia won 52-6 in Canberra including a four-try haul from 2016 Cronulla Sharks premiership winner Wade Graham.
France last defeated Australia in 1978, 11-10, in Toulouse.