This weekend delivers a unique moment in one of international sport’s oldest rivalries with England set to do battle with Australia in both rugby codes, simultaneously in the same country.
In the early hours of Sunday morning (AEDT) the Wallabies will face England at Twickenham in London in a one-off rugby union test.
Meanwhile, 340 kilometres to the north-west the Kangaroos will meet England in the second Ashes test in Liverpool.
In a curious—some might even say antagonistic—piece of scheduling the respective kick-offs are staggered by just 30 minutes meaning the two internationals will overlap.
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Adding further cross-code spice to the occasion, former NRL players Joseph Sua'ali'i and Carter Gordon are likely to be in the Wallabies line up for the Twickenham clash.
While in Liverpool, former (and future) Wallaby Mark Nawaqanitawase will run out for Kevin Walters’ Kangaroos having become Australia’s latest dual international last Saturday at Wembley Stadium.
Nawaqanitawase has already announced he will be departing the Sydney Roosters to return to the fifteen man game at the end of next year’s NRL season ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
As observed by English sports journalist Ian Chadband, this weekend’s confrontational scheduling means rugby fans will be faced with an unprecedented ‘decisions, decisions’ moment.
“Never in 116 years of Anglo-Australian rugby duels have the clashes been played at the same time,” he wrote earlier this year.
Television ratings figures will be interesting to say the least, in both hemispheres.