All Blacks to face Boks at Eden Park
NEWS: A new era for the All Blacks will kick off at Auckland’s Eden Park in 2020 in the first of six home Test matches for a new-look All Blacks coaching team.
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) announced the dates and venues for the All Blacks home 2020 July Test Series and Rugby Championship Tests with Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin and Hamilton confirmed to host fixtures.
The domestic schedule will be bookended at Eden Park with rematches against World Cup opponents Wales and recently crowned world champions South Africa.
Wellington’s newly named Sky Stadium will host Wales and Australia, Scotland will play at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin and FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton will entertain Argentina.
2020 July Series
The 2020 July Series will see the All Blacks play Wales in Auckland on Saturday, July 4, a fitting venue for new Wales head coach and former Auckland and North Harbour coach Wayne Pivac.
The two sides will then play in Wellington the following Saturday, July 11. It will be Wales’ first visit to New Zealand since 2016.
Scotland arrive for a one-off Test in Dunedin on Saturday, July 18. It will be the Scots’ first match against the All Blacks on New Zealand soil in 20 years.
Last time Scotland toured New Zealand, outside of the 2011 World Cup, was in 2000 when they played the All Blacks at the old Carisbrook ground in Dunedin. Next year’s Test will be Scotland’s first at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
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2020 Rugby Championship
The 2020 Rugby Championship begins at Sky Stadium where the All Blacks will meet Australia on Saturday, August 15. The Wellington Test will be a home-coming of sorts for Australia’s new head coach Dave Rennie, a former Wellingtonian, and will also double as the second match of the three-Test Bledisloe Cup series.
The All Blacks will host Argentina at FMG Stadium Waikato on Saturday, August 29, the Pumas’ fifth visit to Hamilton, before the home season goes full circle back to Eden Park for what promises to be a blockbuster match against South Africa on Saturday, September 5.
The Test will be the first time the two sides have met since the opening match of the 2019 World Cup in Yokohama, and the first in New Zealand since last year’s thrilling 16-all Freedom Cup Test draw in Wellington.
NZR Chief Rugby Officer Nigel Cass said the 2020 July Series and Rugby Championship were tournaments full of intrigue and steeped in history.
“Post Rugby World Cup there is always a degree of the unknown. The All Blacks will have a new head coach and some new players and I’m sure New Zealanders can’t wait to again get behind the team.
“Wales and Australia also have new coaches and will bring a lot of energy. It’s fantastic to have Scotland back in New Zealand after such a long time. Our countries have always had close ties and that’s been particularly true of Dunedin where no doubt the region will be ready to roll out the tartan welcome mat.
“And, what better finish to the home schedule than a Test against South Africa at Eden Park for the Freedom Cup.”
All Blacks 2020 July Series & Rugby Championship home schedule (local time):
July Series:
All Blacks v Wales, 19.35, Saturday, July 4, Eden Park, Auckland
All Blacks v Wales, 19.35, Saturday, July 11, Sky Stadium, Wellington
All Blacks v Scotland, 19.35, Saturday, July 18, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Rugby Championship:
All Blacks v Australia, 19.35, Saturday, August 15, Sky Stadium, Wellington
All Blacks v Argentina, 19.35, Saturday, August 29, FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
All Blacks v South Africa, 19.35, Saturday, September 5, Eden Park Auckland
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