Rugby Australia is pleased to confirm the international fixtures for both the Buildcorp Wallaroos inbound Tests against Fijiana and Japan in May and the Wallabies 2022 eToro England Series in July.
The Road to New Zealand tri series in May will see the Buildcorp Wallaroos return to the Test arena for the first time since 2019, with matches in Brisbane and the Gold Coast kick-starting their Rugby World Cup preparations for the year. The blockbuster Wallabies series will see the men in gold take on the Eddie Jones-led England in Perth, Brisbane and Sydney.
Every Wallabies and Buildcorp Wallaroos Test will be ad-free, live and on demand with extended coverage on Stan Sport. Every home Wallabies Test will also be live, free-to-air on the 9Network.
In what will be the first Test they have played in Queensland since 1997, the Buildcorp Wallaroos will kick off their year against Fijiana at Suncorp Stadium as part of a double header on Friday 6 May, with the Reds hosting the Highlanders in a Harvey Norman Super Rugby Pacific clash.
The following Tuesday May 10 will see the side take on Japan at Bond University, Gold Coast, for the last of the Tests forming key preparations for the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand later this year.
Tickets are on sale for both the May 6 and May 10 matches.
Game one of the eToro England Series will be held at Optus Stadium in Perth on 2 July, game two will take place at Suncorp Stadium on 9 July and game three at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 16 July.
The first Test of the blockbuster series is just the second time the two sides have met in Western Australia. The first was in 2010 with the home side coming away with a 27-17 victory.
The second Test see the Wallabies look to extend their 10-game winning streak at the Brisbane venue, including two victories to claim last year’s series win over France and a 13-point win over Rugby World Cup holders, South Africa.
The final Test and potential decider of the eToro England Series will feature a return to the historic Sydney Cricket Ground for the first Rugby international at the iconic venue since 1986. It will also see the Harbour City welcoming Test match Rugby for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
England, who last toured Australia back in 2016, are currently ranked fifth in the world and were finalists in the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Rugby Australia continues to work alongside State and Federal Governments to deliver international Rugby in a way that ensures safety for all involved.
Team Rugby members will have access to tickets from 19 April with the general public able to secure their seat from 28 April. The premium subscriber base, Wallaby First, will have access to select tickets from today.
Rugby Australia CEO, Andy Marinos said: “ We are excited to announce these blockbuster international fixtures for both the Wallabies and the Wallaroos in what’s an important year for both our teams as we continue to build towards key milestones in our playing calendars. 2022 will be exciting year for Rugby in Australia and for all Australians to get behind their two national teams.”
"The international window kicks off with the Wallaroos who have a massive year ahead of them. These early Tests against Fijiana and Japan will be an important set of games for the ladies to put down a marker for the rest of the year and build on the momentum off the back of the Super W competition. These two matches coupled with the Pacific Four Test series in New Zealand and finishing off with their final home Test against New Zealand will be vital for their preparations for the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand later this year.
“Whilst we are playing and preparing our ladies for their internationals we are looking forward to welcoming England and Eddie back to Australia in July for what will be a highlight on the Australian sporting calendar in 2022. As we have a few wrongs to right from our encounter in November last year, both teams will be looking to build momentum leading into the 2023 RWC and set down some clear markers.
“To be able to host them in Perth, Brisbane and Sydney, the latter of which haven’t seen the Wallabies play live since 2019, is a really exciting opportunity for all Australians and those travelling from overseas.
“The rivalry between Australia and England is one that runs deep across many sports, and we look to forward to writing another chapter in its history this July.
“I would like to thank our Principal Partners in Buildcorp and Cadbury along with eToro and all our other commercial partners, including our broadcaster Stan and Nine for their continued support. As Rugby Australia we would like to thank our State Governments for their ongoing support and co-operation in delivering world-class live events here in Australia.”
Wallabies coach, Dave Rennie said: “It’s extremely exciting to have the eToro England Series here on home soil to kick off our 2022 season.”
“We talk a lot about wanting to challenge ourselves against the best teams in the world and three Test matches in a row against England is the perfect opportunity to do that.
“It’s always special when Australia and England meet in the sporting arena and we’re looking forward to seeing plenty of gold jerseys in the stands during July.
“There’s not many bigger Tests in World Rugby than when the Wallabies play England and we’re looking forward to seeing plenty of gold jerseys in the stands during July.”
Buildcorp Wallaroos Head Coach Jay Tregonning said: “There’s been an immense amount preparation for these upcoming Test matches and the playing group, as well as the coaching staff, are itching to get their national campaign back underway.”
“Over the past two years the entire women’s program has been building towards the next Wallaroos test season and these upcoming matches are a crucial part in our preparation for the Rugby World Cup.
“We’ve witnessed some high quality matches in Buildcorp Super W this year and performances in that competition will play an important role in determining squad selections for these matches.
“Playing two strong nations like Japan and Fiji is extremely important to gain experience as a group against different styles of rugby.
“Seeing an expansive style of play has been a delight to watch from the Fijiana Drua this year in Buildcorp Super W and we are sure to see the same when we face Fiji’s national side in this series.”
Western Australia Tourism Minister Roger Cook said: “We’re pleased to partner with Rugby Australia to bring England Rugby to WA for game one of the series, and for the team’s first match at the award-winning Optus Stadium.”
“As Australia’s western gateway and the closest port to Europe, Perth is a prime location for the match, with this position strengthened in June when the direct Perth to London flight is scheduled to resume.
“It will provide a fantastic opportunity to attract visitors from the UK and interstate, who will support our hospitality and tourism operators not just in Perth but right up and down the coast.
“From exploring the vast vineyards in Margaret River, getting up close with whale sharks in Exmouth, to quokka spotting on Rottnest Island, there’s so much to see and do here in WA.”
The Brisbane test match is supported by the Queensland Government via Tourism and Events Queensland and is a feature on the It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar.
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said: “This series will be a much-needed boost for our local tourism, retail and hospitality businesses in post-pandemic and flood recovery, while also cementing Brisbane’s status as the home ground of national sport.”
NSW Minister for Tourism and Sport Stuart Ayres said: “Sydney is the birthplace of Australian Rugby and the Sydney Cricket Ground is one of the most iconic sporting arenas in the world, so it is fitting that the first game of international Rugby at the famous old venue in more than 35 years will possibly be one of the biggest home games for the Wallabies in recent memory.
“The NSW Government has been the leading supporter of sport through the past two years of COVID interruptions, so I am delighted we have secured the all-important third and potentially deciding match of the eToro England Series, which adds further weight to our already incredible line-up of world-class sporting and cultural events across Sydney and NSW over the coming months.”
All tickets for the Buildcorp Wallaroos test matches will be on sale from 10:00am today
Wallaby First Members can purchase tickets from 12:00pm today. The Wallaby First program is our premium subscription fanbase with guaranteed early access to tickets and other benefits. Learn more here: https://wallabies.rugby/membership
Harvey Norman Super Rugby Pacific Members will get access to tickets from Monday 11 April at 12:00pm. Team Rugby membership Presale is available free to all Rugby Australia newsletter subscribers from Tuesday 19 April at 12:00pm. Subscribe here: https://australia.rugby/experience/subscribe.
General Public will be onside from Thursday 28 April at 12:00pm.
Note: All times are for the local time in the city the Test is being played in.
Hospitality packages are on sale now for the eToro England Series. Private suites, corporate boxes and functions are available for fans who want to enhance their Wallabies Test match experience. Information on hospitality packages is available here: https://wallabies.rugby/experience/hospitality.
Travel Packages are on sale now, enjoy the ultimate travel experience for a Wallabies Test. More information at https://wallabiestravel.com.au/.
Wallabies v England, Saturday 2 July, 5:55pm AWST/7:55pm AEST at Optus Stadium, Perth
Wallabies v England, Saturday 9 July, 7:55pm AEST at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Wallabies v England, Saturday 16 July, 7:55pm AEST at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Buildcorp Wallaroos v Fijiana, Friday 6 May, TBC, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Buildcorp Wallaroos v Japan, Tuesday 10 May, TBC, Bond University, Gold Coast
