SYDNEY : The Wallabies will start a new era under New Zealander Joe Schmidt by hosting two tests against Wales and one against Georgia in the July international window, Rugby Australia (RA) said on Friday.
Australia lost 40-6 to Wales as they crashed out of the World Cup in the pool stage for the first time last year, precipitating the end of Eddie Jones’s brief second spell as coach.
The Wallabies also played Georgia in the pool stage at the World Cup, running out 35-15 victors in one of only two wins in nine tests under Jones last year.
Jones resigned in acrimonious circumstances after the tournament and was replaced last month by former Ireland coach Schmidt, whose first match in charge will be against the Welsh at Sydney Football Stadium on July 6.
The second test against Wales will be at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium the following week before the Wallabies return to Sydney for the first ever home meeting with Georgia on July 20.
The Wallabies will also host two matches against world champions South Africa in the Rugby Championship, facing off against the Springboks at Brisbane’s Lang Park on Aug. 10 and again at Perth Stadium a week later.
Australia’s sixth and final home test of the season will also be in the Rugby Championship against New Zealand at Sydney’s 80,000-seater Olympic Stadium on Sept. 21.
“The Wallabies will be looking for a reset this year, with Joe Schmidt to lead them against four high-quality test opponents on home soil,” said RA Chief Executive Phil Waugh.
RA also announced a bumper home programme for the Wallaroos women’s team with Canada and the United States visiting in May and Fiji and world champions New Zealand providing the opposition in July.
“We’re continuing to honour our commitment to grow the women’s game, with the Wallaroos set to play their highest number of tests on home soil in a calendar year in 2024,” Waugh added.
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