Kiwi tour itinary to Britain

Blackburn Rovers's Ewood Park will host a rugby league international for the first time since 1911 when New Zealand tour Britain later this year, the British Rugby Football League (RFL) said on Sunday.

The Kiwis will also play the Wales rugby league side in a test match at Cardiff's Millennium stadium on November 3, as part of their four-match buildup before the three-test series against David Waite's Britain side.

The first test, at Ewood Park, will be just six days later, on November 9, before the second Test at McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield on Saturday, November 16 and the third Test at Wigan's JJB Stadium on Saturday, November 23.

New Zealand open their tour against Hull on Tuesday, October 22 before they meet the Super League champions on Friday, October 25. The Kiwis arrive before the Super-League final on October 19.

They then play England 'A' at Griffin Park, Brentford -- the first ever international rugby league fixture at the west London stadium -- on Wednesday, October 30, before the test match against Wales.

New Zealand beat Wales 58-18 in Cardiff en route to finishing runners-up to Australia at the World Cup in 2000.

All of the Britain test matches will kick off at 6pm (1800 GMT), the RFL said. "By keeping the Tests at centrally-located stadiums in the game's heartlands we have ensured that as many of our fans as possible will be able to see the matches," RFL executive chairman Richard Lewis said in a statement.

The full tour schedule is: Tuesday, October 22 v Hull FC (Hull) Friday, October 25 v Super League grand final winners Wednesday, October 30 v England A (London) Sunday, November 3 v Wales (Cardiff) Saturday, November 9 v Great Britain (Blackburn) Saturday, November 16 v Great Britain (Huddersfield) Saturday, November 23 v Great Britain (Wigan)