While French coach Fabien Galthié begins his season on Friday in Marseille, against Ireland (9 p.m.), new New Zealand coach Scott Robertson has just announced his program.
The All Blacks will begin with a home clash against the England XV on July 6, at home at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin. The first in a series of three meetings sponsored by a Kiwi brewer and his “low calorie” beer. The second match will take place at Eden Park in Auckland. For their third meeting, they will fly to San Diego, in the United States, a nineteen-hour plane ride from home. The Kiwis, who have not played in this California city since 1980, will face the Fiji selection.
Mark Robinson, president of the New Zealand Federation, financed largely by the American investment fund Silver Lake, insisted on his joy at seeing the All Blacks go to play in California. “Our ambition has long been to increase our visibility in North America, to strengthen the presence of our brand in this territory with a view to the women’s and men’s World Cups in 2031 and 2033.”
Then, the All Blacks will return to New Zealand to host the Argentine Pumas on August 10 in Wellington, then at Eden Park in Auckland on August 17. They will then travel to South Africa for two matches against the Springboks in Cape Town and then in Johannesburg. “It’s a great opportunity to evaluate ourselves against the world champions, to recreate excitement at home but also everywhere else in the world,” commented Scott Robertson. Wherever we are, we will be proud to defend the black jersey. »
Matches in Europe, including in France, in the fall
They will then head to Australia for a first Bledisloe Cup match, in Sydney on September 21, then another in New Zealand in Wellington, a week later. Very hot, the All Blacks will embark on a tour of the Northern Hemisphere. A short stop for a match against Japan on October 26 in Yokohama, then off to England, Ireland, France and Italy.