NZ gets two Bledisloe tests in 2006

New Zealand will host two home Bledisloe Cup internationals next year but has lost a test against the Pacific Islanders combined team of Fiji and Samoa and Tonga after the three countries opted to focus on building for the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

The All Blacks' additional Bledisloe Cup against Australia comes as part of the expanded Tri-Nations.

The All Blacks' other home matches in 2006 are two against Ireland, and a Tri-Nations match against South Africa.

Auckland gets a Bledisloe and an Ireland test, Christchurch the other Bledisloe match, Hamilton an Ireland test, and Wellington the South Africa test.

Dunedin is not scheduled to see the All Blacks in 2006 but New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) deputy chief executive Steve Tew said the union was looking for another match for the All Blacks in June, which if found, would be at Carisbrook.

"At the moment Dunedin is not scheduled to have an All Blacks test match next year, but that is part of the normal annual allocation of matches.

"Otago hosted both a Lions match and the Philips Tri Nations match against South Africa this year," he said.

The better news was about the Bledisloe Cup, expanded to an annual three-test encounter, with two matches in New Zealand this time around. "The Australian Rugby Union has agreed to allow New Zealand to host two Bledisloe Cup matches in the first year of the expanded competition and we are grateful to them for that," Tew said.

The right to host home Bledisloe Cup matches would be rotated in the following years, he said.

Tew said having two Bledisloe Cup matches meant New Zealand had "two high-profile, high-value matches", which needed to be played at New Zealand's largest stadiums.

That was also why two matches had been allocated to Eden Park.

Originally planned to be in New Zealand in 2006 but missing are the Pacific Islanders. "The All Blacks were originally scheduled to play the Pacific Islanders but the Pacific Islanders Rugby Alliance (PIRA) nations have asked if the game can be removed from the IRB schedule so they can prepare for the new IRB Pacific nations tournament and Rugby World Cup 2007," Tew said.

All Blacks domestic test schedule for 2006 (final dates to be announced):

Philips International Series

June: All Blacks v Ireland at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
All Blacks v Ireland at Eden Park, Auckland

Philips Tri Nations

July-August: All Blacks v Australia at Jade Stadium, Christchurch
All Blacks v South Africa at Westpac Stadium, Wellington
All Blacks v Australia at Eden Park, Auckland

- NZPA