The All Blacks will play home Test matches in New Plymouth, Dunedin, Hamilton, Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch next year, with the venues for the 2010 June International Series and Investec Tri Nations confirmed today.
The All Blacks will kick off their season in the June International Series with a Test against the 2009 Six Nations champions Ireland at Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth, on Saturday 12 June. This will be followed by two Tests against Wales, at Carisbrook, Dunedin on Saturday 19 June and Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, on Saturday 26 June.
The Test in Dunedin will be an historic match for the city. It will be the first time Wales have ever played against the All Blacks in Dunedin. It is also expected to be the last time the All Blacks will play at Carisbrook, with the new Otago Stadium development due to be completed in 2011.
New Plymouth has secured a significant Test for the Taranaki region with Ireland scheduled to play the All Blacks there on Saturday 12 June 2010. It is the city’s second Test, following a successful sell-out event when they hosted their first All Blacks home Test against Samoa in 2008.
Christchurch will also host a Bledisloe Cup Test in the Investec Tri Nations, which will be the first Test to be held in the re-developed AMI Stadium.
New Zealand Rugby Union Chief Executive Steve Tew said the All Blacks Test Schedule at home promised much excitement and many great opportunities for the regions hosting matches.
“The Dunedin, New Plymouth and Christchurch Test matches will be quite special, all for different reasons, and I’m sure that rugby fans in those regions will already be looking forward to these historic Test events,” he said.
Meanwhile, the venues for the other All Blacks home Tests in the Investec Tri Nations have also been confirmed.
The All Blacks will play two home Tests against South Africa at Eden Park, Auckland, on Saturday 10 July, and at Westpac Stadium, Wellington, the following weekend, Saturday 17 July. They then play Australia at AMI Stadium in Christchurch on Saturday 7 August.
2010 June International Series
Saturday 12 June
All Blacks v Ireland
Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth
Saturday 19 June
All Blacks v Wales
Carisbrook, Dunedin
Saturday 26 June
All Blacks v Wales
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
2010 Investec Tri Nations
Saturday 10 July
All Blacks v South Africa
Eden Park, Auckland
Saturday 17 July
All Blacks v South Africa
Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Saturday 24 July
Australia v South Africa
Brisbane
Saturday 31 July
Australia v All Blacks
Melbourne
Saturday 7 August
All Blacks v Australia
AMI Stadium, Christchurch
Saturday 21 August
South Africa v All Blacks
Johannesburg
Saturday 28 August
South Africa v Australia
Pretoria
Saturday 4 September
South Africa v Australia
Bloemfontein
Saturday 11 September
Australia v All Blacks
Sydney
