All Blacks to play Wales in Cardiff
Wales will face the All Blacks next autumn,
with the Welsh Rugby Union confirming that the IRB's top three ranked
sides, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia will visit the Millennium
Stadium along with Pacific Island nation Fiji.
The schedule will see two of this year's opponents, the Springboks and
the Wallabies return to Cardiff next year as part of Wales' preparation
for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
The matches against New Zealand,
Australia and Fiji will be part of the IRB autumn window with South
Africa confirmed as the fourth game of the series.
"We have
consistently said, if you want to be the best, you have to play the best
and the 2014 autumn schedule reconfirms that commitment," said WRU
Group Chief Executive Roger Lewis.
"We have just witnessed
another exhilarating, tough autumn series and next year will be ideal
preparation for the squad ahead of the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
"We
will only have 12 matches in total in the run-up to our opening game at
the tournament, so we must secure every opportunity to test ourselves at
the highest level."
Meanwhile Ireland will take on South Africa,
Australia and a leading European Tier 2 nation at the Aviva Stadium
during November 2014.
South Africa, who are currently number 2 in
the IRB World Rankings, provided the opposition for the opening fixture
of the 2012 Series and will again be Ireland's first opponents in the
autumn of 2014 as the two sides square off at the Aviva Stadium on
Saturday, November 8.
Ireland will be looking to record their
fifth victory over the Springboks since the two countries first met at
the Balmoral Showgrounds in 1906.
A week later on Saturday,
November 15, Ireland will take on a leading European Tier 2 nation at
the Aviva Stadium. Georgia, who have serious 2015 Rugby World Cup
qualification ambitions, are the most likely opposition for this Test.
Ewen
McKenzie's Australia will return to the Aviva Stadium on Saturday,
November 22. The Wallabies are the third ranked nation in world rugby
following a successful autumn tour which saw them record wins over
Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Italy while losing narrowly to England.
All matches will have their kick off times confirmed at a later date.
