Ireland facing daunting double date with mighty All Blacks

The All Blacks will play Ireland twice at home and a single test in Argentina, as well as defending their Tri-Nations title in an expanded competition in 2006.

Sat, 17 Dec, 2005 - 00:00

Mike Adams

The first Irish game will take place on June 10 at Hamilton with a second test at Auckland the following week.

Ireland have played once previously at Eden Park a 45,000 crowd watched the All Blacks beat Ireland 40-8 in the 2002 summer tour's second test match.

Gary Longwell scored a try and Ronan O'Gara landed a penalty for O'Sullivan's side.

Ireland have never played a test match in Hamilton before, but the 2005 British & Irish Lions did face the New Zealand Maori there on June 11 last, losing 19-13.

Ireland's Gordon D'Arcy, Paul O'Connell, Shane Horgan, Ronan O'Gara and Shane Byrne the latter three as substitutes all earned game-time at the Waikato Stadium.

Ticket details for Ireland's 2006 summer tour test matches will be released shortly.

The game in Waikato Stadium will be the 19th ever clash between the nations the All Blacks have won 17 so far with Ireland's only saving grace being 1973's 10-10 draw at Lansdowne Road.

Graham Henry's side ran in five tries to Ireland's one in the All Blacks' 45-7 win at Lansdowne Road last month.

The All Blacks will also play a one-off test against Argentina on June 24 in what coach Graham Henry says will be a tough battle for New Zealand against "one of international rugby's most improved sides" over recent years.

"They held the British and Irish Lions to a draw earlier this year and beat France in Marseilles last year," Henry said. "New Zealand fans will also remember the last time the All Blacks played Argentina over there, (the All Blacks) just got home with a 24-20 win," he said of the 2001 clash, when a try in added time saved them from a disastrous loss.

Next year New Zealand, Australia and South Africa play an expanded Tri-Nations series, playing each other three times rather than twice. The date of the third match against the Wallabies is yet to be confirmed as either August 17 or 18.

"There is a possibility that the match will be played on Friday August 18 to give the All Blacks an extra day to recover before the long flight to South Africa (where they will play their final two matches of the series)," NZRFU deputy chief executive Steve Tew said.

The schedule for the All Blacks tour of Europe late in the year still has to be confirmed.

Schedule: June 10 New Zealand v Ireland, in Hamilton, New Zealand.

June 17 New Zealand v Ireland, Eden Park, Auckland.

June 24 New Zealand v Argentina, Buenos Aires.

Tri-Nations July 8 New Zealand v Australia, Christchurch, New Zealand

July 15 Australia v South Africa, Brisbane

July 22 New Zealand v South Africa,

Wellington

July 29 New Zealand v Australia, Brisbane

Aug 5 Australia v South Africa, Sydney

Aug 18 or 19 New Zealand v Australia,

Auckland