First game in Aviva Stadium to be all-province affair

reland’s four provinces will be reduced to just two next year in a special rugby game to open the new national Aviva stadium, it was revealed today.

Ulster will share a jersey with Leinster in a one-off team that will take on a joint Munster and Connacht side to celebrate the launch of the Lansdowne Road arena in Dublin.

The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) confirmed the unique fixture will take place on August 7 next year, four days before the Republic’s soccer squad take on Argentina in a friendly.

Philip Browne, IRFU chief executive, said it promised to be a great occasion that would mark the opening of the new 50,000-seater stadium.

“It was felt that a combined provinces fixture would be the most appropriate way to do this providing a look back into the history of the game while also creating a new chapter for Irish rugby,” he said.

Leinster and Ulster were the first representative teams to play in the old Lansdowne Road stadium nearly 133 years ago on December 16, 1876.

Coincidentally, both provinces also played the final game – dubbed ’The Last Stand’ – there on New Year’s Eve 2006.

The new Aviva stadium will host some of the top teams in world rugby during the Guinness Series in November next year.

Ireland is to play four internationals against World champions South Africa, Samoa, New Zealand and Argentina.