All Blacks confirm Grand Slam tour

NZRU Chief Executive Chris Moller

The Grand Slam tour is on for the All Blacks this year.

The New Zealand rugby union has announced today that the All Blacks will also play Wales, besides the other home nations, when they tour the northern hemisphere in November-December.

This announcement puts an end to much speculation about whether a test match could be staged to celebrate the centenary of the famous match on the All Blacks' 1905 tour.

Officials from both unions have been discussing a commemorative test, though they had been finding difficulties with a date.

The NPC final, and Welsh club fixtures, were the stumbling blocks to cementing a date - until now.

NZRU Chief Executive Chris Moller said the match would be a fitting tribute to the Originals, whose only loss on that 1905 tour was the controversial 0-3 loss to Wales.

"The match-up between the All Blacks and Wales is not only a celebration of that famous match, but it is also a re-match of last year's stirring Test between the two countries, and creates the possibility of a Grand Slam attempt by the All Blacks", said Moller.

He said it was also appropriate that New Zealand would meet the current Six Nations Champions, making for a highly anticipated kick-off to the UK tour.

The All Blacks start their late-season tour with the match against Wales on November 5, then play Ireland (November 12), England (November 19) and Scotland (November 26) in successive weekends, for the first Grand Slam tour by the All Blacks since 197

All Blacks coach Graham Henry had earlier said a Grand Slam tour would be great dress rehearsal for the challenges the All Blacks would have to overcome if they were to succeed at the next World Cup.

"We are keen to play the new Six Nations champs," Henry had said after Wales won their own Grand Slam in the Six Nations.

He said the coaching staff were eager and prospective players were keen to add the test against Wales to their schedule.

"Players need these sorts of series so they get more of an idea about the pressure they can be subjected to in the knockout phases of a World Cup."

Henry said each of the players in contention for the tour will be put on an individual programme and monitored closely to ensure that their workload during the Air New Zealand NPC and in the lead-up period is conducive to achieving a good performance on tour.

Welsh great Gareth Edwards said it would be pretty tough on the All Blacks to play four tests in four successive weekends.

"It will be very, very difficult to win four tests in four weeks." he said.

"If anybody is capable of doing that, the All Blacks are."

- NZPA