Jillaroos set for Las Vegas rendezvous in NRL’s season opener

US audiences are loving women’s sport at the moment and the NRL is ready to show off the best players in the country in an attempt to raise the game’s profile – and hopefully gain some international recruits.

Stars like Jess Sergis and Tamika Upton will be on show in Vegas. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

Women’s rugby league is about to get even bigger.

The NRL is readying to announce the Jillaroos will play an international test as part of next year’s season opener in Las Vegas.

It’s expected the Australian team will face England for the first time since the 2017 World Cup in a new offering for a beefed up smorgasbord of rugby league for the US audience.

The Vegas announcement will be made next week with Penrith, Canberra, Cronulla and the Warriors to open the NRL season, while Super League clubs Wigan and Warrington are also expected to face off at Allegiant Stadium.

Warrington Wolves coach and former South Sydney legend Sam Burgess has helped drive the English involvement, which will take the rugby league spectacle to worldwide audiences and bring fans from across the world.

A Jillaroos test against England will complete the four-game spectacle.

Jillaroos coach Brad Donald. Picture: NRL Photos

The Australian Rugby League Commission was desperate to get women’s rugby league involved in the bold Vegas venture after the success of this year’ season opener with four men’s teams.

The priority was taking a high quality representative game to showcase the best entertainment and intensity the women’s game could offer.

Options to take an NRLW exhibition match or State of Origin game were quickly abandoned, with the ARLC keen to platform the best Australian talent available.

At a camp earlier this year the Jillaroos put their hand up for more test matches and the idea of taking one to Vegas was born.

In preparation for the 2025 fixture, players will go into a regular camp as normal in January before preparations for State of Origin in May kick off.

It will mean an earlier start for the biggest names on top of what will be a bumper NRLW, which will include two new teams, the Warriors and the Bulldogs, and a longer season.

Players from both nations will spend time promoting rugby league in the US in the days before the games with the NRL keen to boost the Jillaroos brand overseas.

It comes at a crucial time in history.

The game is a chance to raise the profile of women’s rugby league overseas. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

A clash between international powerhouses will take the profile of the game to a new level in a booming time for women’s sport around the globe.

American sports fans have devoured it, in particular the WNBA which is seeing record crowds and television audiences.

It makes for a game-changing opportunity.

The NRL has big plans to capitalise on that level of interest by showcasing top flight women’s rugby league, which is already soaring in Australia after the historic three-game State of Origin series.

Two of the three games were sellouts, while the series attracted the highest ever crowd figures for stand alone women’s rugby league games as well as broadcast audiences.

As well as attracting more eyeballs and fans, the NRL’s push in the US is most likely to benefit the women’s game on the field too.

There is currently no female NFL competition or any pathways to a professional football league and there is talent ripe for picking across the country.

Earlier this year the NRL held a Vegas 9s tournament and talent combine, which peaked the interest of players from the USA sevens.

It’s hoped with another year of learnings and better promotion, the combine will attract even more talent in 2025 which will then be available as the NRLW expands in coming seasons.

Liz Tafuna was the only player out of the combine to sign with an NRLW club this season, but she was released from the Roosters last month on medical grounds.

Originally published as Jillaroos set for Las Vegas rendezvous in NRL’s season opener