Ireland tour of South Africa confirmed for 2016

All of the focus may be on the Six Nations and World Cup next year but Ireland are also looking beyond that, with a three-match summer tour to South Africa confirmed for 2016.

The host cities for the three Tests will not be known until next summer as Joe Schmidt takes Ireland to South Africa for the first time since 2004.

The tour will be Ireland’s fifth to South Africa, aside from the 1995 World Cup, but it will be the first time they have played three Tests against the Springboks.