Yvonne Sampson joins Fox League's NRL 360 after departure of Ben Ikin

Yvonne Sampson will join NRL 360 on Fox League as co-host from Monday, June 28 at 6.30pm, when the show resumes ahead of round 16 of the NRL.

Stepping into the role permanently, following the departure of Ben Ikin, Sampson will sit alongside co-host Paul Kent.

Fox Sports executive director, Steve Crawley, said: “Ben is very hard to replace. He is recognised as a voice of reason, youngest ever Origin player, played for Australia and you’d have to walk a long way to find someone that doesn’t like Ben Ikin, and Vonnie is the same.”

“I watch people’s reactions to Vonnie and she is one of the very few prominent television people who isn’t criticised. I’m sure there has been some critical comment here and there – that’s life. She is very well accepted and that’s because of the way she presents herself on television. There is no tokenism. She is as authentic as there is. She’s earnt a place in the top bracket of Australian sportscasters.

“This is a big gig, NRL 360 – it’s the show for rugby league people. I’m not talking about just pay television but free to air and radio. There is no better rugby league show for the purists and people who live and know the game than NRL 360.”

Having begun her career on the Sunshine Coast with Seven Local News, Sampson enjoyed time at Sky News Australia, Nine News in Brisbane and Nine in Sydney where she hosted NRL and State of Origin. In 2017 she joined Fox League.

NRL 360 show regulars Lara Pitt, Phil Rothfield, Ray Hadley, James Hooper, Paul Crawley, Benji Marshall and James Graham will all remain on the program.

Sampson is back in-studio tonight for Origin Footy on Fox from 6.00pm Live where she is joined by former Origin greats Cooper Cronk, Braith Anasta and Michael Ennis.

Top Image: Paul Kent and Yvonne Sampson