Africa-Press – South-Africa. Ireland
will face a stern examination of their 2023 Rugby World Cup credentials when they host world champions South Africa and Australia in November Tests.
Crowd-pleasing Fiji (12 November) will be the other opposition sandwiched in between the Springboks (5 November) and Wallabies (19 November) clashes after the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) announced the schedule on Thursday.
The Irish – who have a three Test series in New Zealand in July – will play South Africa in the pool stage on 23 September at the Stade de France in the 2023 World Cup.
The two sides have not met since Ireland recorded a record 38-3 victory in 2017, but the Boks have since gone on to claim a third Rugby World Cup title and a gritty series win over the British & Irish Lions last year.
Ireland have not faced the Australians since clinching a three Test series with a 20-16 victory in Sydney – 2016 is the last time Australia were in Dublin as Ireland held on to post a 27-24 victory.
Fiji were last in Dublin in 2017 when Ireland secured a hard-fought 23-20 victory.
The Irish – who finished second in the Six Nations this year losing only to Grand Slam achieving France – have yet to progress beyond the quarter-finals in the World Cup.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s other year-end Tests are yet to be confirmed but the Boks look likely to also tackle Italy, France and England.
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