Visiting All Blacks and Australia set to boost IRFU coffers
World Cup champions New Zealand and Australia, the side the All Blacks defeated in the Twickenham final in October, are both visiting our shores.
This represents Ireland’s latest opportunity to beat New Zealand, with their visit here next year all the more attractive because of the drama of their most recent clash at the Aviva Stadium in 2013, when they scraped a last-minute two-point victory over Ireland.
The IRFU have had to implement generous ticket price reductions for these games in the recent past but can assuredly expect a bonanza for the visit of the world champions, especially, and also an Australia side who have been making very impressive strides under the coaching of former Leinster guru Michael Cheika.
The Guinness Series kicks off on Saturday, November 12, against a Tier 2 nation, probably from the southern hemisphere from where the likes of Samoa, Fiji and Tonga are invariably very welcome visitors.
The practice has usually been for the Irish coach to field a combination of lesser known and established players for this fixture but when the All Blacks come calling on Saturday, November 19, Joe Schmidt will be putting out his strongest squad to take on his native country.
He will opt for a similar strategy the following week against the Wallabies.
“New Zealand return for the first time since that incredible game in 2013 while Australia have shown that they are one of the most exciting teams in world rugby after winning the Rugby Championship and finishing runner-up in the World Cup,” said IRFU chief executive Philip Browne.
England will play South Africa, Fiji, Argentina and Australia in next year’s autumn internationals as part of the Old Mutual Wealth Series.
Eddie Jones, who was appointed England’s new head coach a fortnight ago, will face his native Australia in the final match of the series on Saturday, December 3.
Fiji have also been added to the list. The Islanders finished fourth in Pool A at this year’s World Cup, following defeats to England, Australia and Wales.
World Cup semi-finalists South Africa are England’s first autumn opponents on Saturday, November 12 before they play Fiji on Saturday, November 19 and Argentina on Saturday, November 26.
England full-back Mike Brown said: “It’s great to be able to take on four such quality teams on back to back weekends.
“It allows us to test ourselves against some high calibre opposition and it’s great that Old Mutual Wealth is supporting the series.”
England will also take on Wales in a capped match at Twickenham on Sunday, May 29 for the Old Mutual Wealth Cup.
Meanwhile, Ireland women’s coach Tom Tierney has welcomed the news that his side will host World Cup champions England and Canada in November next year in their first ever autumn international series. The England game will take place in Dublin on the weekend of November 12-13 before Ireland face Canada the following weekend.
“I believe the addition of these two games is a very positive step towards the development of the national squad,” said Tierney.
“There were nine new caps for the game against England last month and that will stand to all concerned and means we are looking forward to the Six Nations with confidence. Adding these fixtures to what promises to be a huge year in the 2016/’17 season means we can get a strong build.”
Ireland v Tier 2 Nation, TBC
Ireland v New Zealand
Ireland v Australia
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