A COMPOSITE Leinster/Ulster selection will take on a Munster/Connacht collaboration to mark the opening of the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, August 7th, 2010.
Leinster and Ulster were the first representative teams to play in the old Lansdowne Road nearly 133 years ago on December 16th, 1876, and brought the curtain down at rugby’s oldest international ground in a match billed as The Last Stand in the stadium on New Year’s Eve 2006, when the home side beat Ulster 20-12 in the Magners League.
The novel match means rugby will be the first sport to be played in the arena, four days before the Republic of Ireland’s soccer friendly against Argentina.
The IRFU also confirmed the opposition for next year’s November Test series, in which Declan Kidney’s charges will take on South Africa, Samoa, New Zealand and Argentina.
Chief executive Philip Browne said: “Coming on the back of the announcement that world champions South Africa will be the first international opposition to play here, this promises to be a great occasion to open the Aviva Stadium to the Irish rugby public. It was felt that a combined provinces fixture would be the most appropriate way to do this, providing a look back into the history of the game while also creating a new chapter for Irish rugby.”
Aviva Stadium Rugby fixtures
Saturday, August 7th, 2010
Connacht/Munster v Leinster/Ulster
Saturday, November 6th
Ireland v South Africa
November 13th/14th
Ireland v Samoa
November 20th/21st
Ireland v New Zealand
November 27th/28th
Ireland v Argentina
