2006 Test and Tri Nations Rugby Series confirmed
The 2006 Bundaberg Rum Rugby Series has now been confirmed, after the South African, New Zealand and
Australian Rugby Unions (SANZAR) finalised the schedule for the new, expanded Tri Nations series today.
The Wallabies will play six Tests at home in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth, as well as two away
Tests in New Zealand and one in South Africa.
It is a bumper year for Australian Rugby fans, with five big trophies up for grabs - the Cook Cup
(England), Lansdowne Cup (Ireland), Mandela Plate (South Africa), Bledisloe Cup (New Zealand) and the Tri
Nations Trophy.
The season gets underway when the Wallabies take on England in Sydney on the Queen's Birthday long weekend,
with the ARU currently considering playing this Test on the Sunday night (11 June).
The Second Test against England will be played in Melbourne the next weekend (17 June), with the Wallabies
needing to win both Tests, or at least secure a win and a draw, to get their hands back on the Cook Cup.
This will be followed by the Lansdowne Cup Test against Ireland in Perth on 24 June, before the inaugural
nine-match Tri Nations series kicks off in Christchurch on 8 July with the first of three Bledisloe Cup Tests.
It is the first time the grand old silverware has been contested over a three-Test series since Australia's
clean sweep in 1998.
The Wallabies will host the Springboks in Brisbane on 15 July, before Bledisloe Cup Rugby makes a
triumphant return to Brisbane on 29 July for the first time since 1996.
This will be followed by a home Test against the Springboks on 5 August in Sydney, and two weeks later the
deciding Bledisloe Cup Test will be played in Auckland on a date to be confirmed. The NZRU are currently
exploring the possibility of this being a Friday night Test, so it is currently scheduled as either Friday 18
or Saturday 19 August.
The action then heads to the Republic with the last three Tri Nations Tests in South Africa, including the
Wallabies third Test against the Springboks on 9 September.
ARU Managing Director and CEO Gary Flowers said 2006 would be a bumper year for Rugby fans.
"We have an action-packed Test schedule in 2006 against the world's top teams.
"Rugby fans will see the Wallabies play nine Tests in total, including a total of six Tests in Sydney,
Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth.
"The Tooheys New Super 14 kicks off in only 56 days and will be followed closely by the Bundaberg Rum Rugby
Series, so there will be seven months of wall-to-wall Rugby from February 10 until September 9 next year."
2006 Bundaberg Rum Rugby Series and Tri Nations Series |
| Date | Match | City | Trophy |
| Sat 10/Sun 11 June* | Australia | vs | England | Sydney | Cook Cup |
| Sat June 17 | Australia | vs | England | Melbourne | Cook Cup |
| Sat June 24 | Australia | vs | Ireland | Perth | Lansdowne Cup |
| Tri Nations |
| Sat July 8 | New Zealand | vs | Australia | Christchurch | Bledisloe Cup |
| Sat July 15 | Australia | vs | South Africa | Brisbane | Mandela Plate |
| Sat July 22 | New Zealand | vs | South Africa | Wellington | - |
| Sat July 29 | Australia | vs | New Zealand | Brisbane | Bledisloe Cup |
| Sat August 5 | Australia | vs | South Africa | Sydney | Mandela Pate |
| Fri 18/Sat 19 Aug* | New Zealand | vs | Australia | Auckland | Bledisloe Cup |
| Sat August 26 | South Africa | vs | New Zealand | TBC | - |
| Sat Sept 2 | South Africa | vs | New Zealand | TBC | - |
| Sat Sept 9 | South Africa | vs | Australia | TBC | Mandela Plate |
| Note: *Date of match is yet to be confirmed |
Related Articles:
Ireland Test confirmed for Perth (Thurs Dec 8)
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