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The World Cup in New Zealand is days away and there is hope from within the US squad that they can make a statement as never before
New Zealand Rugby [NZR] has confirmed this year’s home test schedule for the All Blacks and the Black Ferns.
The All Blacks will kick their 2022 test campaign off with a three-test series against Ireland in July, and NZR announced on Tuesday that the tour will begin at Eden Park in Auckland on July 2.
The two sides will then do battle at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on July 9, before rounding out the series at Sky Stadium in Wellington on July 16.
The following month, the All Blacks will return to New Zealand after having travelled to South Africa to play two Rugby Championship tests against the Springboks to host Los Pumas across two tests in Hamilton and Christchurch.
The first of those tests will be held at Orangetheory Stadium on August 27, and will be followed by a second successive clash at FMG Stadium Waikato on September 3.
Both matches will act as Rugby Championship fixtures, with the test at Orangetheory Stadium the first the All Blacks will have played in Christchurch since their 41-13 win over the Springboks in 2016.
The sixth and final New Zealand-based test the All Blacks are scheduled to play this year is against the Wallabies at Eden Park on September 24 in a match that doubles as a Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup clash.
Confirmation of those six matches means more than half the tests the All Blacks are set to play this year have been cemented.
Other All Blacks matches that have been officially confirmed for this year includes the two tests against the Springboks, which will be played at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on August 6 and at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on August 13.
An end-of-year test against England at Twickenham in London on November 19 has also been locked in by the Rugby Football Union.
No confirmation has yet been made of where in Australia the first of the two Bledisloe Cup matches against the Wallabies will be held, nor has there been an official announcement regarding the remainder of New Zealand’s end-of-year tests.
However, NZR chief executive Mark Robinson revealed earlier this year that two of those November tests will come against Wales and Scotland, while confirmation of another test – likely to be against Japan – is also expected at a later date.
All Blacks boss Ian Foster has admitted he will be forced to make some big selection calls when picking his next squad in July.
“The All Blacks have a big season ahead with the Steinlager Series against Ireland and a tough Rugby Championship schedule,” Robinson said in a statement on Tuesday.
“I know Foz [All Blacks head coach Ian Foster] and the team can’t wait for the season to kick off and I’m sure fans feel the same way.
“We have not hosted Ireland since 2012 and Argentina have not played here since 2018, so we cannot wait to welcome two great rugby rivals and their fans to our country.”
Meanwhile, NZR also announced four home fixtures for the Black Ferns in the lead-up to their World Cup campaign in New Zealand later this year.
The Black Ferns will play their first test on Kiwi shores since 2019 when they host Australia at a yet-to-be confirmed venue in the opening match of the Pacific Four Series on June 6.
That match, the first to be played by the Black Ferns under the guidance of new director of rugby Wayne Smith and his assistants Whitney Hansen and Wesley Clarke, will be followed by a clash against Canada at Trusts Arena in Auckland on June 12,
New Zealand’s third and final test of the series will be against the United States at Semenoff Stadium in Whangarei on June 18.
The Black Ferns will also host the first of two Laurie O’Reilly Series tests against the Wallaroos at Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch on August 20, with the second to be staged in Australia.
All of those fixtures precede a World Cup campaign that kicks-off for the Black Ferns against Australia at Eden Park in Auckland on October 8.
“It has been a long time since the Black Ferns played a test in Aotearoa and the Pacific Four gives New Zealander’s the opportunity to get excited about women’s rugby in the build-up to the Rugby World Cup and to get behind their team in what is a huge year for the women’s game,” Robinson said.
July test series
July 2: All Blacks vs Ireland, 7:05pm, Eden Park in Auckland
July 9: All Blacks vs Ireland, 7:05pm, Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin
July 16: All Blacks vs Ireland, 7:05pm, Sky Stadium in Wellington
Rugby Championship/Bledisloe Cup
August 27: All Blacks vs Argentina, 7:05pm, Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch
September 3: All Blacks vs Argentina, 7:05pm, FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton
September 24: All Blacks vs Australia, 7:05pm, Eden Park in Auckland
Pacific Four Series
June 6: Black Ferns vs Australia, 2:45pm, TBC
June 12: Black Ferns vs Canada, 2:45pm, Trusts Arena in Auckland
June 18: Black Ferns vs USA, 4pm, Semenoff Stadium in Whangarei
Laurie O’Reilly Series
August 20: Black Ferns vs Australia, 7:05pm, Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch
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