Rugby Championship: 2015 schedule is unveiled
Monday 13 October 2014 23:34, UK
Next year's Rugby Championship will be compressed into a three-week period between mid-July and early August.
The southern hemisphere tournament will be played in three rounds between July 17 and August 8 with an additional round of non-competition matches on August 15.
Those games will probably conclude the World Cup preparations of New Zealand, the top-ranked side in the world, No. 2 South Africa, fourth-ranked Australia and 10th-ranked Argentina.
South Africa and Australia each received two home matches in the tournament draw while defending champions New Zealand and Argentina play at home once.
New Zealand will then host Australia and South Africa will play in Argentina in the non-competition matches on August 15.
The Rugby World Cup begins September 18, in England and Wales. The final is scheduled for Twickenham on October 31.
Round One, July 17: New Zealand v Argentina, Christchurch; July 18, Australia v South Africa, Brisbane.
Round Two, July 25: South Africa v New Zealand, venue TBC; Argentina v Australia, venue TBC
Round Three, Aug. 8: Australia v New Zealand, Sydney; South Africa v Argentina, venue TBC.
Non-competition matches, Aug. 15: New Zealand v Australia, Auckland; Argentina v South Africa, venue TBC.
