The Wallabies will open their Rugby Championship campaign against the All Blacks
Updated December 3, 2013, 3:52 am
The Wallabies will once again open their Rugby Championship campaign with the heavy task of taking down the All Blacks.
The 2014 draw, released on Tuesday, remains consistent with the previous two years, setting up trans-Tasman clashes for the two opening matches, to be held at Sydney's ANZ Stadium on August 16 and at Auckland's Eden Park a week later.
Should the All Blacks complete a three-out-of-three Test series win during England's June tour of New Zealand, the Wallabies will also have the chance to stop the world champions from breaking the world record of 17 consecutive wins.
Australia then take on South Africa at Perth's Patersons Stadium on September 6, and Argentina at Skilled Park on the Gold Coast on September 13.
On September 27, the Wallabies will face the Springboks at DHL Newlands in Cape Town, before heading to Argentina for the final round on October 4.
Greg Peters, chief executive for rugby governing body SANZAR, said he was looking forward to seeing the world's best teams resume their ongoing rivalry next year.
"We couldn't have hoped for a more thrilling culmination to this year's edition of the Rugby Championship and 2014 promises to up the ante with the gap between champions and challengers narrowing with each contest," he said.
"We look forward to delivering the Rugby Championship to a new market in New Zealand with Napier's McLean Park scheduled to host New Zealand and Argentina, while the Gold Coast returns to the Australian rotation with the Wallabies and Pumas scheduled to do battle at Skilled Park on September 13."
Kick-off times, as well as venues for Argentina's home games, were to be confirmed early next year.
Meanwhile, SANZAR also announced that Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium will host the third Bledisloe Cup clash between Australia and New Zealand on October 18.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...onship-opener/
