Boks start Tri-Nations defence in NZ
08 October 2009 (09:46)
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| Schalk Burger © Gallo images |
The Springboks will begin their defence of the Vodacom Tri-Nations title where they clinched it this season -- in New Zealand.
Peter de Villiers’s men open the tournament on Saturday, July 10 at the venue of the Rugby World Cup final in 2011, with their first match at Eden Park in Auckland since 2001. A week later they are in Wellington and then finish their three-week road trip against Australia in Brisbane on July 24.
The team then has a three-week bye until the start of another three-week run of matches with the All Blacks’ first visit to Coca-Cola Park since 2004 and then two more Highveld matches against the Wallabies at Loftus Versfeld and Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein.
The venues for the Springboks’ Vodacom inbound tests in June still have to be confirmed. The Boks face a two-test series against Italy and a one-off match against France. However, “exclusive use” periods in force as part of the 2010 Fifa World Cup have put the majority of rugby venues off limits.
World Cup venues are handed over to Fifa 15 days before the start of the World Cup while major sporting events at non-Fifa venues in hosting cities are prohibited seven days before and after the World Cup. The Fifa World Cup kicks off on June 11.
“We have met with the LOC (Local Organising Committee) and have asked for modest relaxations in some areas,” said Andy Marinos, acting managing director of SA Rugby. “We have requested a follow-up meeting in the near future with the LOC and Fifa in the hope of having a non-Fifa venue, such as Newlands, made available.”
The dates are: (kick off times and some venues to be confirmed):
| Saturday, June 12 |
South Africa v France |
TBC |
| Saturday, June 19 |
South Africa v Italy |
TBC |
| Saturday, June 26 |
South Africa v Italy |
TBC |
| Saturday, July 10 |
New Zealand v South Africa |
Auckland |
| Saturday, July 17 |
New Zealand v South Africa |
Wellington |
| Saturday, July 24 |
Australia v South Africa |
Brisbane |
| Saturday, August 21 |
South Africa v New Zealand |
Johannesburg |
| Saturday, August 28 |
South Africa v Australia |
Pretoria |
| Saturday, September 4 |
South Africa v Australia |
Bloemfontein |
Read more on the
Tri-Nations page.
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