LONDON —
England and Wales will meet in a doubleheader as part of their preparations for
next year’s Rugby World Cup in France, it was announced on Monday.
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Wales host
Eddie Jones’ side on August 5 before a return match at Twickenham the following
weekend, with a clash against world champions South Africa in Cardiff on August
19.
“These matches
will be crucial as we enter our final preparation stage for the Rugby World
Cup,” said England coach Jones.
“It’s our chance
to develop our tactical approach, improve our game fitness, and to say thank
you to the supporters for the last four years.”
The Australian,
looking to go one better after guiding England to a 2019 World Cup final in
Japan where they were beaten by the Springboks, added: “We’re very fortunate to
have such a tough opponent in
Wales and to play them both home and away, along
with the atmosphere we always experience in Cardiff.”
England will also
face Fiji on August 26 — their final fixture before they travel to France for
the World Cup, which starts on September 8.
They will play a
further away match the previous weekend, with the opposition yet to be
announced.
Wales coach Wayne
Pivac said with less than a year to go until the start of the World Cup: “we
have a clear program set out for the squad in readiness for the tournament”.
“I’m pleased we are
able to confirm warm-up matches against England — home and away — and at home
against South Africa as part of this,” he added.
Wales pushed the
Springboks close in their three-Test series in July but eventually lost 2–1.
South Africa coach
Jacques Nienaber welcomed the challenge of locking horns again in Cardiff.
“Wales have always proven
to be tough competition for us and our results against them in the last few
years are evidence of the quality of the side they are,” he said.
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