All Blacks: Three-test series tour begins with Ireland

Ireland will play three tests in NZ in 2012. Photo / Getty Images

Top 10-ranked rugby nations Scotland and Fiji will not make another tour of New Zealand until at least the next decade.

Both sides are missing from the schedule list released yesterday by the New Zealand Rugby Union for visiting teams who have agreed to play test series.

Scotland last toured New Zealand in 2000, and Fiji were last in action here in 2005.

Argentina, Australia and South Africa are missing from the tours list, but they will be involved in annual home-and-away Four-Nations series from 2012.

NZRU chief executive Steve Tew said the new schedule was a major step forward for the sport in the Southern Hemisphere, with Sanzar countries now hosting three-test series in June of each year.

Ireland will tour New Zealand in 2012 for the initial three-test series before France then England follow in successive seasons.

"We have been pushing for a return to proper rugby tours and for three-test series for some time now so to see it now become a reality is fantastic," Tew said.

"We are excited by the prospect of a three-test series each year and I think fans will be as well," Tew said.

The schedule meant the NZRU would also be able to explore the possibility of midweek matches for the visiting Northern Hemisphere sides.

"We will start discussions with those countries about midweek matches in due course but we think it will be fantastic for fans if we can get some matches played outside of the main centres," Tew added.

The 2005 Lions tour demonstrated the interest from fans in tours that went beyond test matches, while there was also a greater opportunity for visitors to plan around a tour schedule.

TOUR SCHEDULE

2012: Ireland, three tests.
2013: France, three tests.
2014: England, three tests.
2015: World Cup in England, no June or November tours.
2016: Wales, three tests.
2017: British and Irish Lions tour.
2018: France, three tests.
2019: World Cup in Japan, no June or November tours.