Daily Times

WELLINGTON: Ireland’s first Test in New Zealand for a decade will take place in Auckland on July 2, the opening match of three highly-anticipated clashes against the All Blacks announced on Tuesday.

New Zealand Rugby confirmed the three-Test series will begin at Eden Park on Saturday, July 2, followed by Tests in Dunedin on July 9 and Wellington on July 16.

Ireland have toppled the All Blacks in three of their last five meetings, including an emphatic 29-20 win in Dublin in November. However, the Irish have lost all 12 Tests they have played in New Zealand.

NZR revealed a full schedule of home fixtures for 2022 after two Covid-19 disrupted seasons.

There will be three Rugby Championship Tests in New Zealand in 2022 — two against Argentina and a Bledisloe Cup match against Australia. The All Blacks will face Argentina in Christchurch on Saturday, August 27 and again a week later in Hamilton.

Australia travel to Eden Park, Auckland, on September 24 just a week after the trans-Tasman rivals lock horns in Brisbane in the first of two Bledisloe Cup encounters this year, reduced from three because of pandemic-related travel difficulties. The remaining Rugby Championship fixtures featuring Australia, South Africa and Argentina are still to be confirmed. It was also announced that New Zealand’s Black Ferns will host a four-nation women’s tournament in June, four months before the country hosts the World Cup.

The Pacific Four tournament will feature round-robin matches between New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the United States.

All Blacks 2022 home Tests:

July 2 v Ireland, Auckland

July 9 v Ireland, Dunedin

July 16 v Ireland, Wellington

Rugby Championship

Aug 27 v Argentina, Christchurch

Sep 3 v Argentina, Hamilton

Sep 24 v Australia, Auckland.