All Blacks vs Kangaroos: New Zealand Rugby confirms talks over hybrid match with Australia’s rugby league team

The two teams could meet in a 14-a-side exhibition match at the end of the year

The All Blacks could be challenged by the Kangaroos in a hybrid match (Getty)

New Zealand Rugby are in talks over an innovative hybrid match that would see the All Blacks take on Australia’s national rugby league team.

The Kangaroos have dominated the 13-a-side version of the sport much in the same way the All Blacks have enjoyed sustained success in 15-a-side rugby union.

Historically the All Blacks hold an 80 per cent win ratio over 115 years, but a new challenge appears on the horizon.

Chief executive Mark Robinson has confirmed the team ”had the option put to us” of arranging a 14-a-side match between the teams in December.

The sports divided more than 100 years ago, creating separate styles and skill-sets, so finalising a common set of rules may prove problematic.

The Kangaroos have enjoyed a dominant reign in rugby league (Getty)

Robinson stressed New Zealand Rugby’s priority is to establish a test schedule for the All Blacks, against traditional opponents including Australia’s Wallabies, before the end of the year.

The All Blacks were due to play Wales and Scotland in July but those test matches have been abandoned because of the coronavirus pandemic. Bledisloe Cup matches against the Wallabies might be able to go ahead as early as October if both countries are able to control the virus outbreak.

Tests against northern hemisphere teams are unlikely this year, though New Zealand Rugby is hopeful some matches might be played in November or December.

“The concept of the All Blacks playing the Kangaroos later in the year, we must be very clear that our priority is we want the All Blacks to play international rugby for the remainder of the year and we’ve talked about the uncertainty associated with that,” Robinson said.

“But absolutely we’ve had the option put to us of this hybrid game with the Kangaroos. It’s one of many different scenarios in a unique year like this that we’re considering with looking to be innovative and having a focus on trying to consider revenue-generating ideas.”

Robinson said the concept of a cross-code match is “not new” and had been discussed as recently as 2017.

“At that stage for various reasons it wasn’t taken any further,” he said. “We’re interested in learning more, as we are a whole range of things that are being put to us at the moment.

“We’ll work that through and go through the proper process in terms of making a decision if we feel it’s got merit to take it further.”

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga was more positive, saying New Zealand and Australia are in “serious negotiations” over the proposal and a tentative date of Dec. 5 has been set, though a venue hasn’t been confirmed.

“I’m keen to make this happen,” Meninga told Brisbane’s Courier-Mail newspaper. “We want to play the All Blacks. Hopefully, we can get the concept off the ground.”

AP contributed to this report