[5] At the RLIF congress in November 2018 a provisional tour was arranged with Great Britain to play tests against New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Fiji and Samoa with the exact locations and dates being subject to ratification by the various national league and player organisations.

[8] The members of the suspended Tonga board labelled the invitational side as a 'rebel' squad and insisted that the game against Great Britain could not be classed as a test match.

[9] The International Rugby League (the RLIF was rebranded earlier in October 2019) disagreed and gave the match test status.

Coach Wayne Bennett, whose contract with the RFL expired at the end of the tour, was heavily criticised for his team selections.

Six half-backs were chosen in the initial 24-man squad, but injuries during the tour resulted in stand-off Blake Austin being deployed as an emergency winger due a shortage of other players at the position.