Eurosport - Wed, 17 Jun 13:42:00 2009
Australia will get the opportunity to repeat their 1984 Grand Slam of the Home Nations after a match against England was added to their November tour.
The Rugby Football Union confirmed that England would host the Wallabies at Twickenham on November 7 instead of playing Fiji on November 28.
Part of the profits from the match will go to the Fiji Rugby Union which posted a hefty loss in the last financial year and who recently lost its main sponsor.
Fiji will play the United States in a ranking test on the Pacific Coast of the US on November 28 and will face Australia in June, 2010.
"We're pleased to confirm that a Grand Slam tour, after all these years, is back on our calendar again," Australian Rugby Union managing director and chief executive John O'Neill said.
"The long trips to the UK and Ireland to play all four Home Unions are an integral part of the rich history and tradition of the Wallabies.
"I'm delighted the footsteps of the 1984 Grand Slam Wallabies will, for the first time in 25 years, be retraced by our current national side."
Australia play Ireland on November15, Scotland on November 21 and Wales on November 28.
"Moving around our Autumn schedule is not ideal but to be able to offer Fiji substantive support we needed to find a multi-union approach," RFU chief executive Francis Baron said.
"Playing a Test against Australia in replacement for the Fiji Test will allow us to generate additional revenue to provide meaningful financial support to the Fiji Rugby Union as part of the global package."
England complete their autumn tests against Argentina and New Zealand.
Comment 1 - 14 of 14
Good call cartman. 2 World Cups Michael! Count 'em, 2! One was in your own back yard! The other was when you were all let out on day release to try and get your own back on the guards... Englad wins when it matters and the rest of the time we have a damn good laugh.
How much of the revenue generated will be going to Fiji exactly? Not a lot i reckon...
Nothing anti English mate, UR who we almost like to beat most. Mainly because U beat yourselves so much, LOL. Just a bit of bait mate LOL Leave it alone it'll grow.
As I said, it is the AB's that are the main course, the SAF's the appetiser, you lot are just sweeties really ;)
Girl666 - "RFU are run by people who know the price of everything but not the value of anything."
Spot on.
I thought the Figians already toured here , no silly me thats the All Blacks..........
michael - i sense a little bit of anti England in your post, are you still upset we knocked you out of the last 2 world cups?
Cartman .....
Yes, it is the Australian Tour and it is down to them who they want to play. But it is up to England to accept who they want to play and RFU typically look at the bottom line, that is making money, rather than what is good for rugby and trying to help out a poorer rugby nation. Where is the brotherhood in rugby, eh?
RFU can make excuse saying Fiji will get a chunk out of the Australian match but what price the opportunity for the likes of Fiji to play and show the world what they are capable of against one of the big unions? RFU are run by people who know the price of everything but not the value of anything.
It's same ole same ole ..... the big unions in collusion with the IRB (whose board are stuffed with people from the big unions) are always looking out for themselves. There are enough in the IRB coffers to spread the wealth more equitably and help out the smaller unions. They probably feel Fiji should be so thankful they are chucking a few crumbs towards them.
Why can't the top unions all chip in a small amount each so that Fiji could tour the U.K. ?What an experience it would be for the Fijians and for us brits. Seems to me the top teams are again conspiring against the "2nd tier teams" as they don't want to upset the status quo. Am I right in saying that New Zealand won't play a test in the South Sea Islands as they are afraid of losing the source of their best players? Everyone that plays rughby for their country be it Fiji, England, Australia is entitled to play abroad. Shame on all the main unions - they are a disgrace to the game.
Chris 120 "It's down to them" is a Pommy sounding mutter to me mate. Who really gives a damn about Fiji!? Well Australians do for a start despite some of their domestic turmoil. It will be less bruising playing those Tarts than the Fijians, perhaps that's a relief for the Rosey Cheeks. It is however gr8 to have a shot at a slam with a highly inexperienced a young Wallaby lineup. Gives them a chance to measure where thay are really at!
The AB's are really the main course, the Irish a very dangerous and the Taff's are unpredictable. England....enough said really, playing them at home gives them an even break. I say life's short, eat sweets first, bring it on you Pommy Sweeties, PMSL
its not about fiji being good enough but eng v aus will generate much more revenue so fiji gain money and at he end of the day we all need it to stay in the loop so let fiji play now and see them struggle in the future so arrogance is not the isue here
so i guess chris 120 is an aussie then! are u living in the uk. if so why dont you go back to australia cos you aussies are always banging on about how good it is in oz and how great you are.
HANG ON !
this is the Australia tour ! Its down to them who they want to play NOT England
They asked us so shut up about ' arrogant England not wanting Fiji to play!'
Actually i think its a poor show. Fiji would be better playing England. Instead the arrogance of England and Australia wins through and tells Fiji you are not good enough to play with us.
Shame on England.
well done rugby union shame political leaders cant show the same approach to helping one another rugby would be less of a spectacal without fiji in the mix
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