All Blacks, Ireland agree to Chicago rematch
02/18/2025 02:06 PM
Ireland and New Zealand will return to Soldier Field in Chicago for the opening match of their November tour itinerary which was published on Tuesday.
The two sides met there in 2016 when Ireland famously defeated the All Blacks for the first time in the 111-year history of this fixture.
Ireland have faced the haka 10 times in the past nine years, winning five although it was the All Blacks who came out strongest in their epic quarter-final meeting in Paris at the 2023 World Cup.
The Chicago match marks another boost for the sport in the United States, the hosts of the 2031 Rugby World Cup.
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“The 2016 encounter at Soldier Field is one of the greatest moments in Irish rugby history,” said Ireland Rugby chief Kevin Potts.
New Zealand will continue their end-of-year tour by taking on Scotland, England and Wales while the Irish will host Japan, Australia and world champions South Africa.
The Springboks, who broke French hopes of a home victory in the quarter-finals on their way to winning the 2023 World Cup, open their campaign against the French on November 8.
England lost narrowly to both the All Blacks and Australia last November and will have the chance to reverse both of those defeats as they also face the Wallabies at Twickenham.
Steve Borthwick’s team will also take on Fiji, who secured their first ever win over England in their last visit to Twickenham in 2023, and Argentina.
“These four matches offer a valuable opportunity for our squad to face different styles of rugby as we continue to develop,” said Borthwick.
Scotland, who will take on USA on home soil for the first time since 2000, also announced that they would play against Maori All Blacks in July as part of their 2025 summer tour in Whangarei.
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2025 November tour fixtures
Nov 1: England v Australia, Scotland v USA, Ireland v New Zealand
Nov 8: Ireland v Japan, England v Fiji, Scotland v New Zealand, Italy v Australia, France v Boks
Nov 9: Wales v Argentina
Nov 15: Italy v Boks, Ireland v Australia, England v New Zealand, Wales v Japan, France v Fiji
Nov 16: Scotland v Argentina
Nov 22: Wales v New Zealand, Ireland v Boks, Italy v Samoa, France v Australia
Nov 23: Scotland v Tonga, England v Argentina
Nov 29: Wales v Boks
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Photo: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images
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