The All Blacks will play Ireland twice at home and a single Test in Argentina as well as defending their Tri-Nations title in an expanded competition in 2006.
New Zealand will play Ireland on June 10 at Hamilton and in a second Test at Auckland the following week, according to a schedule released by the New Zealand Rugby Union on Friday.
They will also play a one-off Test against Argentina on June 24 in what coach Graham Henry says will be a tough battle for New Zealand against ”one of international rugby’s most improved sides” over recent years.
”They held the British and Irish Lions to a draw earlier this year and beat France in Marseilles — the stronghold of French rugby — last year,” Henry said.
”New Zealand fans will also remember the last time the All Blacks played Argentina over there, [the All Blacks] just got home with a 24-20 win,” he said of the 2001 Test when a try in extra time saved them from a disastrous loss.
Next year, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa play an expanded Tri-Nations series, playing each other three times rather than twice. The date of the third match against the Wallabies is yet to be confirmed as either August 17 or 18.
”There is a possibility that the match will be played on Friday the 18th of August to give the All Blacks an extra day to recover before the long flight to South Africa [where they will play their final two matches of the series],” NZRFU deputy chief executive Steve Tew said.
The schedule for the All Blacks tour of Europe late in the year still has to be confirmed. – Sapa-AFP