RUGBY NEWS:FRANCE AND England will both make two visits to the Aviva Stadium this season. The IRFU have confirmed Ireland's World Cup warm-up matches with four consecutive games on each Saturday in August against Scotland, France (twice – home and away) and England.
Eddie O’Sullivan’s Irish team were heavily criticised for their performances at the 2007 World Cup in France when a lack of match preparation was cited as a root cause for failing to qualify from the group stages.
In 2007 Ireland played Scotland, Italy and, following a cancelled fixture against South Africa, French club side Bayonne when captain Brian O’Driscoll sustained a fractured sinus after being punched by Kiwi journeyman Mikaera Tewhata.
This time Declan Kidney’s squad will face Scotland at Murrayfield on August 6th before travelling to France on August 13th. The French come to Dublin seven days later with Martin Johnson’s England following on August 27th before departure to New Zealand.
The IRB prohibits any international fixtures after August 28th with Ireland’s opening group match against the USA, now coached by O’Sullivan, taking place on September 11th (the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks) in New Plymouth.
France are also in Dublin on Sunday, February 13th with England completing the Six Nations campaign at the Aviva on March 19th.
If Ireland make the World Cup quarter-finals, they will play 18 internationals Tests this season.
Meanwhile, in the lead up to the second international rugby match to be staged at the Aviva Stadium, Connacht have announced they are hosting Manu Samoa at the Sportsground on Tuesday, November 9th “subject to final IRB approval”.
“We are delighted to have a fixture of this calibre in the Sportsground,” said Connacht chief executive Gerry Kelly. “It continues a tradition of national teams visiting the west, Portugal played here the year before last and South Africa played here in 2007, the year they went on to win the World Cup. Season tickets will be valid for this match and we are hoping the midweek fixture will enable plenty of people who cannot make weekend games to attend.”
Samoa play Ireland the following weekend in Dublin. South Africa is the opening international fixture on November 6th with New Zealand and Argentina also visiting in November.
Ireland Fixtures
INTERNATIONALS
Saturday, November 6th: South Africa, Aviva
November 13th/14th: Samoa, Aviva
November 20th/21st: New Zealand, Aviva
November 27th/28th: Argentina, Aviva
SIX NATIONS
Saturday, February 5th: Italy, Stadio Flaminio, 3.30
Sunday, February 13th: France, Aviva, 3.0
Sunday, February 27th: Scotland, Murrayfield, 3.0
Saturday March 12th: Wales, Millennium Stadium, 5.0
Saturday, March 19th: England, Aviva, 5.0
WORLD CUP WARM-UPS
Saturday, August 6th: Scotland, Murrayfield
Saturday, August 13th: France, TBC
Saturday, August 20th: France, Aviva
Saturday, August 27th: England, Aviva
