Rugby Australia have confirmed the dates and venues for their two-test visit of Ireland in the summer of 2020.
In what will be Ireland head coach Andy Farrell’s first summer tour in charge, his troops will head down under to face the Wallabies in July 2020.
The first of the games will be played on Saturday the 4th at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane while the second will be a week on at the Sydney Cricket Ground, a venue that has not seen any rugby since 1986.
Ireland and the Wallabies last played there in 1979 and Australian Rugby CEO Raelene Castle is delighted to be going back to one of the most iconic venues in the country.
“The Sydney Cricket Ground is one of the most iconic venues in Australian sport and has hosted some of the most famous rugby Test matches ever played in this country. Returning there in 2020 for the second Test against Ireland will be a nostalgic experience for those who watched Test matches there through the 60s, 70s, and 80s, and a chance to be part of history for the younger generation watching a Test at the SCG for the first time. The last time these two countries played in Sydney, the stadium and the whole Paddington and Moore Park precinct came to life and was flooded with fans wearing green and gold, not to mention the on-field action which went right down to the wire as Ireland pipped the Wallabies to win the series,” she said.
Ireland won their first series down under for 40 years when Joe Schmidt lead his side to a 2-1 victory last year, only the second-time in the nations history that they have managed the feat.
While for Farrell it will be his first tour as head coach, it will also be the first tests for whoever takes up the reins with the Wallabies, as head coach Michael Cheika stepped down following the country’s quarter-final exit to England in the Rugby World Cup last month.
It will be a new start for both countries as they look to build toward a bright future and it could be an indication of just who is going in the right direction or not.
