Ireland using tour as World Cup dress rehearsal

In 15 months’ time, Ireland will kick-off their World Cup campaign against the United States at Yarrow Stadium in New Plymouth – the venue of Saturday’s Test against New Zealand.

The choice of locations during the New Zealand leg of the tour of Australasia, which also includes a match against the New Zealand Maori in Rotorua (where they will play Russia next year), are of course no coincidence.