Ireland to face All Blacks twice next November

The IRFU has officially confirmed that the first of their two clashes with New Zealand next November will take place in Chicago as part of a festival of rugby in the city.

Soldier Field, home to the Chicago Bears NFL team, will host the game on Saturday, November 5, and the kick-off time of 3pm provides a comfortable 9pm start for supporters back in Ireland.

As a curtain-raiser to the main event the USA will take on the New Zealand Maori on the Friday night at Chicago’s smaller venue, Toyota Park, and, dubbed ‘The Rugby Weekend’, it will also mark the All Blacks’ second visit to the city after they hammered the Americans there in 2014.