Dates confirmed for home ABs and Black Ferns tests

New Zealand Rugby has confirmed the dates for the previously announced All Blacks and Black Ferns’ tests to be played on home soil this year.

Kicking off 2022 are the Black Ferns under new coach Wayne Smith. The national women’s team will begin its preparation for the upcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup with tests against Australia, Canada and the United States in June as part of the Pacific Four Series. The location for the June 6 match against Australia is still to be confirmed, but the Canada game will be in Auckland on June 12 and the USA clash in Whangārei on June 18.

They will also host Australia a Laurie O’Reilly series match in Christchurch on August 20. The second game will be in

Australia.

The All Blacks begin their year with a three-match series against Ireland in July.

The matches will be played in Auckland on July 2, Dunedin on July 9 and Wellington on July 16.

The national men’s team will return to Christchurch for the first time in six years when it hosts the first of two Rugby Championship matches against Argentina on August 27.

The second game will be in Hamilton on September 3 before the All Blacks meet Australia in a Bledisloe Cup clash in Auckland on September 24.

The Black Ferns will also play at least three games during the World Cup, which kicks off in Auckland on October 8.