Rugby: All Blacks to get record mileage out of next season

All Black captain Richie McCaw holding Web Ellis Cup. Photo / Doug Sherring

Have boots, will travel will be the All Blacks' mantra next season.

In a year when the All Blacks will embrace a new coach and debut in the Rugby Championship with the Wallabies, Springboks and Pumas, they will also set new travel records.

Once they have survived the extended Super 15 series in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa - interrupted by three tests with Ireland - those chosen for the All Blacks will really start to put some kilometres into their frequent-flyer profiles.

When they stash their kit for the summer after a test programme which runs from mid-August to the end of November, those players will each have added more than 75,000km to their year's travel total.

Once the Super 15 is done, the All Blacks travel to Sydney, return to Auckland, then visit Wellington and Dunedin as a taster for their global expeditions.

They head to Argentina then continue on to South Africa before flying to Brisbane for the third Bledisloe Cup test on October 20.

A quick visit home, then they set off again for three tests and perhaps a tour game in Europe before their global rugby odyssey ends in December.

New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew said Ireland's return next season to play three tests in the June window was a chance for them to build on their World Cup form.

"Ireland set the tournament on fire and it'll be great to have them back in New Zealand next year," he said.

"It's particularly special that they will play in Christchurch at the redeveloped Rugby League Park, the first test match in Christchurch since the Canterbury earthquakes."

This year's World Cup had shown how exciting matches between New Zealand, Australia, Argentina and South Africa could be and how much colour their fans brought to venues.

The Pumas last played in New Zealand, outside the World Cup, in June 2004 when they lost 41-7 in Hamilton.

A Sanzar group will visit Argentina this month to inspect possible venues and hold discussions with the Argentine Union, host broadcasters and other key stakeholders to help the transition to The Rugby Championship.