Ireland A: November fixture with All Blacks XV added after Emerging Ireland tour

Ireland A will face off with an All Blacks XV at the RDS in Dublin on Friday, November 4, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has announced.

The evening fixture follows hot on the heels of the news that an Emerging Ireland squad will head out to South Africa for three games later this year.

The Ireland coaching team are looking to increase squad depth and provide challenging developmental opportunities for players of national interest.

All Blacks XV test in Dublin

“It’s great that we could get this fixture over the line and provides another opportunity for those that stand out on the Emerging Ireland tour to test themselves against a very strong All Blacks XV,” said a delighted Ireland head coach Andy Farrell.

“The two fixtures against the Maori All Blacks in the summer gave that young group a great insight into what it takes to compete in international rugby and this fixture will allow us to expose more players to that level of competition.”

Indeed, this clash with an All Blacks XV is set to do likewise as Ireland look to build a deep squad ahead of the 2023 Six Nations and Rugby World Cup.

Ireland are currently ranked number one in the world after an excellent few years, with France their closest challenger on the World Rugby Rankings.

Three games in South Africa

The upcoming trip to South Africa sees them face Griquas (September 30), Pumas (October 5) and Cheetahs (October 9) before they return to Ireland.

The players on the tour will hope to have made a solid enough impression to feature in the All Blacks XV meeting and subsequently push for senior caps.

Kick-off for the Ireland A v All Blacks XV spectacle at the RDS has yet to be confirmed, with ticket information set to be released in the next few weeks.

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