ENGLAND will travel to France for a mid-season women’s international staged as a double-header in Toulouse.
The tie at Stade Ernest Wallon on Saturday, July 25 (kick-off 3pm UK time, 4pm local) will precede the Super League clash between Toulouse Olympique and their French rivals Catalans Dragons.
Both nations are gearing up for the autumn’s World Cup hosted by Australia.
England haven’t been beaten by France in 21 previous matches, the last two of which, also mid-season in 2023 and 2024, finished 64-0 and 42-0 respectively.
Their only fixture since the 90-4 Las Vegas defeat to Australia in March 2025 was a 62-0 win over Wales in Neath last August, with coach Stuart Barrow also arranging two Origin fixtures between Lancashire and Yorkshire sides last year to assess his international hopefuls.
However Barrow believes the trip across the Channel will be a useful exercise ahead of a group-stage campaign which sees them again face Wales (October 17) and Australia (October 24), both in Perth, before playing Samoa (October 30) in Wollongong.
“The timing of this fixture gives us a great opportunity to assess where we are as a squad just a few months out from the World Cup,” said Barrow.
“I’m expecting France to be well coached and a tough opponent, but this is exactly what we’ll need as we head into yet another pivotal year for the women’s game.”
France, who are ranked fourth in the world rankings, one place behind England, will then play Nigeria at Stade Gilbert Brutus in Perpignan on Saturday, August 1 – also a double-header alongside Catalans Dragons’ Super League fixture with Wakefield Trinity.
They will be the first two games under new English coach Alan Walsh, before World Cup group fixtures with Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Fiji.
Walsh said: “It’s very exciting times for women’s rugby league in France, with Catalans playing in the Challenge Cup, plus the two Test matches and a World Cup in the southern hemisphere.
“We’re looking forward to playing England to see where we are at in our preparations for the World Cup and it will be a great experience for us to play one of the top three teams in the world.
“Playing Nigeria will also be a tough test as they will have their heritage players flying in from the UK and Australia for the game.”