League: Kiwis to return to Ericsson

The New Zealand Rugby League is set to confirm Ericsson Stadium as the venue for the second Tri-Nations game against Australia in October, returning to the stadium after several years at North Harbour.

The game will be played on October 21, ahead of a Labour Weekend that includes the NPC rugby final.

After the last NRL round-play games the NZRL will begin notifying players to join a train-on squad up to 40-strong.

That squad will also provide players for New Zealand A to play the curtain-raiser to the first Tri-Nations game in Sydney on October 15 against the Junior Kangaroos.

The A team coach Bernie Perenara will have input into the wider squad and it is expected that some A players will make the tour to England. The Kiwis will face Great Britain in London the following Saturday.

There is some concern at the NZRL about a Samoa-Tonga game to be played in Sydney on October 7.

NRL clubs must release players for it and some players will qualify both for those teams and NZ A.

* The NZRL's deadline for the 2006 Bartercard Cup closes on Monday. Mergers a likely in central, north and south Auckland.