ENGLAND’S groundbreaking Test match against New Zealand in Colorado was given the go-ahead today and will be the first of three meetings in the United States over the next three years.

The match between reappointed head coach Wayne Bennett’s England and the Kiwis will be staged at the Mile High Stadium in Denver on June 23, with a local 2pm kick-off.

The international, which has been organised and funded by Australian promoter Jason Moore to raise the profile of rugby league before the 2025 World Cup in the US, will go ahead despite opposition from some NRL clubs concerned over player welfare.