The Bledisloe Cup series between New Zealand and Australia will kick off in Wellington on October 11 with the second match in Auckland a week later, New Zealand Rugby (NZR) announced on Tuesday.
The Tests will be the first involving traditional rugby powers since the northern hemisphere’s Six Nations was halted in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The third and fourth matches of the Bledisloe Cup, the annual series involving the trans-Tasman neighbours, will double as games in the four-nation Rugby Championship, which was awarded to Australia last week and begins in November.
NZR Chief Executive Mark Robinson says: “We’re delighted to lock in the dates and venues for the two home matches against Australia and look forward to seeing the Bledisloe Cup go on the line next month.
“We acknowledge that this has been a complex and challenging puzzle to solve and we’re grateful that both rugby organisations, together with our government, have come together to get these matches across the line.”