Ireland to play Wallabies and All Blacks in summer tests

THE IRFU yesterday confirmed its 2006 summer tour schedule which will comprise of three test matches in the Southern Hemisphere.

Ireland will play their first game against Australia on Saturday, June 10, and will follow this up with two test matches against the All Blacks on June 17 and 24.

The venues for each of the games are yet to be confirmed.

Meanwhile, Springbok coach Jake White made history yesterday by naming an unprecedented six black players in his line-up for Saturday's second leg of the Mandela Challenge against Australia.

White named nine black players in his 22-man squad for the game at Ellis Park the most ever selected by a Springbok coach as South Africa took a step along the path to transformation.

In doing so, he made eight changes to the side that lost the first leg 30-12 against the Wallabies in Sydney, knowing the Boks must win if they are to keep the Mandela Challenge shield in South Africa.

Under the rules, Australia have to win both games to take the shield away from the home side.

"A moment like this is something special," White said yesterday.

"I've always said, since taking this job, that there are black players that are good enough to play at this level and it is especially good for me to pick a team like this against a side like the Wallabies.

"I just don't want to have to answer the questions every time I finish with one player on the field. Every player in this squad will have a chance and they had a chance to prove themselves."

White added that he didn't want players to view this selection as a one-off, and said performances against the Wallabies this weekend would affect selection for next weekend's Tri-Nations opener against the same opponents.

"It's two-fold. I don't want a player to sit there and say, it's a once-off, so it doesn't matter.

"If they play well, then it would be difficult to leave a guy out of the mix for next weekend. No player should feel like they are guaranteed a place."

The eight changes to the team which lost in Sydney include a shift to midfield for Jean de Villiers.

He will partner Jaque Fourie. Breyton Paulse is in on the wing, while Andre Pretorius starts his first test since 2003 at fly-half.

There is a new loose trio in Joe van Niekerk, Juan Smith and Solly Tyibilika, while the props change with Eddie Andrews returning after CJ van der Linde withdrew through injury.

Gurthro Steenkamp is in at loosehead for the injured Os du Randt.