Rugby News
Friday, 4th November, 2011
ARU ANNOUNCES A RETURN TO TRADITIONAL JUNE TESTS WITH WALES AND SCOTLAND SET TO TOUR
Australian Rugby Union today announced the Qantas Wallabies will return to playing traditional June Tests next year with Scotland and Rugby World Cup Bronze Finalists Wales to tour down under.
The Qantas Wallabies will play four Tests in the June tour window with their first match scheduled for Tuesday evening, 5 June, at Newcastle’s Ausgrid Stadium against Scotland.
The Castrol Edge Rugby International is set to kick-off the 2012 domestic Test season in historic fashion with the one-off clash to be the first Test ever played by the Wallabies in the Hunter region.
The Test will also be the first meeting between the two teams since the Scots defeated Australia 9-8 at Murrayfield in Edinburgh in 2009, a win that saw them break a 27-year, 16-game losing streak to the Men in Gold.
Following the Newcastle showdown with Scotland, the Qantas Wallabies will play three Tests on successive Saturdays against their Rugby World Cup Bronze Final rivals Wales in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney as part of the Castrol Edge Welsh Tour.
It will be the first time since 2001 - when the British and Irish Lions toured Australia - that the Wallabies will play a European heavyweight in a three-Test series across the June window.
On Saturday 9 June the Wallabies will step out against the Welsh at Suncorp Stadium for the first time since securing the Castrol Edge Tri Nations Trophy at the same ground last August with a win over the All Blacks.
The following Saturday 16 June the Qantas Wallabies and Wales will battle it out at Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium and on Saturday 23 June Test Rugby will return to the Sydney Football Stadium for the final match in the Castrol Edge Welsh Tour.
ARU Managing Director and CEO, John O’Neill A.O, said the return to the traditional June Tests was great news for Rugby fans.
“A return to a three-Test series as we will play against Wales is an opportunity to build anticipation, excitement and momentum during the course of the tour," Mr O'Neill said.
"It is a long time since we have had that opportunity, to experience a heavyweight northern hemisphere opponent in our backyard for three Tests.
"I'm delighted too that Wales will be that opponent in 2012. I think all Australians understand what the Welsh are capable of in terms of exciting and attacking Rugby.