24 Oct 2018

Sport: Niue rugby league team to face Italy

11:43 am on 24 October 2018

The Niue rugby league team continue their busy season with a test against Italy confirmed for this weekend in western Sydney.

The Rock finished runners-up at the Emerging Nations World Championship earlier this month, where they played four matches, losing to Malta in the Cup final.

Niue are through to the Cup semi finals.

Niue won three of their four matches at the Emerging Nations World Championship. Photo: Emerging Nations World Championship.

Saturday's test at Marconi Stadium against the 13th ranked Azzurri, who took part in the 2013 World Cup, will be Niue's fifth international match of the season, making it their busiest campaign since the early 1990s.

Italy are coming off a 18-8 victory against South Africa in Sydney two and a half weeks ago.

Niue, who also defeated the Rhinos in back to back tests in 2016, are set to significantly improve on their ranking of 34th in the world when the Rugby League International Federation announces their next update.