#engvexiles

The on-field action may not start until the ball is kicked deep into enemy territory at 6.45pm on Saturday evening but for the England and Exiles players involved in the 2012 International Origin Series, the battle began long before then.

A match which pitches club-mate versus club-mate has been rich in needle since respective coaches Steve McNamara and Daniel Anderson named their squads earlier this week – and the mind games will only intensify over the next few days as England and the Exiles go head to head on Twitter.

Many of the players who will take to the field at Langtree Park are well known to followers of the social media phenomena and the battle for bragging rights is set to unfold like never before over the coming weeks, giving Rugby League fans unprecedented insights into the social interaction of the sport’s biggest stars.

In a ground-breaking move, Tweets from within the two respective camps will appear on a unique Banter page on the International Origin website www.internationalorigin.com/exiles-team-banter/ from Monday, when the two rivals gather at their team bases, England in Loughborough and the Exiles in St Helens.

And, in a first for the sport, Rugby League fans will also be able to Tweet on the match alongside their heroes with messages posted alongside the players’ Tweets on the same page.

The official hashtag for the International Origin Series is #engvexiles with the two teams’ hashtags remaining as #englandrl and #rlexiles.

Tickets for both matches in the International Origin Series are now on sale and can be purchased through the RFL Ticket office on 0844 856 1113 or by visiting www.rugbyleaguetickets.co.uk

Tickets for the opening fixture at Langtree Park, St Helens, on Saturday June 16 (6.45pm) cost from £18 (£9 concessions) for standing and £21 (£10 concessions) seating. Tickets for the all-seater second fixture at Galpharm Stadium, Huddersfield, on Wednesday July 4 (7.45pm) cost from £21 (£10 concessions).