The New Zealand Rugby Football Union (NZRFU) has confirmed the dates and venues for next year's two Test matches against Ireland. Eddie O'Sullivan's Ireland will take on the All Blacks in Dunedin on June 15th and again in Auckland a week later.

The All Blacks are notoriously difficult to beat at the Carisbrook ground in Dunedin, famously referred to as the 'House of Pain.' It is the home of the Otago Highlanders whose supporters are known as the Scarfies, a reference to the fact that Dunedin is a university town.

Ireland won't have much time for sightseeing on their three match trip that will include a warm-up game against as yet unnamed opposition. New coach O'Sullivan will be hoping for a similar campaign to last season's elongated affair in which Ireland won four of five matches to finish second in the championship. The fact that they must travel to London and Paris in the forthcoming Six Nations makes it a considerably more difficult feat.

Ireland's last visit to New Zealand saw them almost snatch a sensational victory in the first test before being thrashed in the second. New Zealand will also have the benefit of a warm-up clash against Italy in Hamilton on June 8th.

The NZRFU have also issued a list of their Tri-Nations fixtures, beginning with a home tie against Australia in Christchurch on July 13th and finishing with back-to-back away matches against the Wallabies in Sydney and the Springboks in Durban.

June 8th: New Zealand v Italy, Hamilton.

June 15th: New Zealand v Ireland, Dunedin.

June 22nd: New Zealand v Ireland, Auckland.

July 13th: New Zealand v Australia, Christchurch.

July 20th: New Zealand v South Africa, Wellington.

August 3rd: New Zealand v Australia, Sydney.

August 10th: New Zealand v South Africa, Durban.