Ireland to make Eden Park return for All Blacks Test
Ireland will return to Eden Park to face New Zealand in next year’s inaugural Nations Championship.
Andy Farrell’s side face Australia in Sydney on July 4 and Japan on July 11 before traveling to Auckland to face the All Blacks at the 50,000 capacity Eden Park on July 18.
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The November window will see Ireland host Argentina, Fiji and South Africa.
Ireland have already visited the spiritual home of New Zealand rugby four times, losing all four matches. Their latest journey ended with a 42-19 defeat in the first match of the 2022 Test series, before historic victories in Dunedin and Wellington.
New Zealand’s 52-match unbeaten streak at Eden Park dates back to a loss to France in July 1994.
The inaugural edition of the 12-team biennial event features six rounds of matches across the summer and autumn testing windows before a ‘finals weekend’ from November 27-29 at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
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After each team has played the other six from the opposing hemisphere once, it is ranked in its own hemisphere.
Finals weekend in London will begin with the sixth-placed Northern Hemisphere team taking on its Southern Hemisphere equivalent, and culminates with the two group winners clashing for the title.
Results from the finals weekend will also contribute to an overall north vs. south score and the title.
Ireland’s calendar
July 4
Australia vs Ireland
July 11
Japan vs Ireland
July 18
New Zealand vs Ireland
November 6-8
Ireland vs. Argentina
November 13-15
Ireland v Fiji
November 21
Ireland v South Africa
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Finals weekend
November 27
Sixth place North versus Sixth place South
Third place North versus Third place South
November 28
Fifth place North versus Fifth place South
Second place North versus Second place South
November 29
Fourth place North versus Fourth place South
First place North versus First place South
Everything you need to know about the Nations Championship
