TRI-NATIONS:THE FINAL Tri-Nations competition will end just two weeks before the start of next year's rugby World Cup, governing body SANZAR confirmed yesterday.

The competition, cut back to six Test matches to allow for the longer Super 15 competition and the World Cup, starts on July 23rd in Sydney and concludes in Brisbane on August 27th.

Hosts New Zealand play Tonga in the World Cup’s first fixture on September 9th.

The 2011 Tri-Nations is expected to be the final Southern Hemisphere tournament involving just the three countries as Argentina are set to join an expanded Four Nations competition in 2012.

New Zealand’s two home fixtures will double as the final test runs for two of the venues that will host World Cup matches, including the July 30th All Blacks-Springboks match at Wellington’s Westpac Stadium.

Auckland’s Eden Park, which will host the opening game of the World Cup among four pool games, as well as both semi-finals, the third/fourth play-offs and the final, will host the Bledisloe Cup clash between the All Blacks and Wallabies on August 6th.

Sydney’s Olympic Stadium will host the first match of the tournament when the Wallabies play the Springboks on July 23.

Brisbane will host the final match of the competition when the Wallabies meet New Zealand at Lang Park on August 27.

2011 TRI-NATIONS SCHEDULE (kick-off times to be confirmed):July 23rd: Australia v South Africa, Sydney; July 30th: New Zealand v South Africa, Wellington; August 6th: New Zealand v Australia, Auckland; August 13th: South Africa v Australia, Durban; August 20th: South Africa v New Zealand, Port Elizabeth; August 27th: Australia v New Zealand, Brisbane