Ireland to face Italy in Chicago where they beat All Blacks for the first time
Ireland’s return to the scene of their greatest victory has been set for November 3 with confirmation Joe Schmidt’s team will face Six Nations rivals Italy at Chicago’s Soldier Field during the autumn internationals.
The fixture marks a first opportunity to revisit the American Midwest since the momentous win over world champions New Zealand on November 5, 2016, the first time in 111 years Ireland had beaten the All Blacks.
Schmidt’s 2018 Grand Slam winners will be the headline act at the famous home of the NFL’s Chicago Bears, topping the bill against Conor O’Shea’s Azzurri as the feature event in a tripleheader of international rugby at Soldier Field.
Marketed as The Rugby Weekend, the schedule will also feature the USA Men’s and Women’s Eagles against Kiwi opposition.
The Men are to face the Maori All Blacks with the other game pitting America’s women against world champions the Black Ferns.
Tickets are set to go on pre-sale here from 8pm Irish time his Friday before going on sale to the general public on the same website next Monday, May 21, at 4pm Irish time.
The Italy Test in Chicago will kick off the final November international window before the 2019 World Cup in Japan with Ireland returning home to a three-Test Guinness Series in Dublin, yet to be confirmed but set to kick off against Argentina before a rematch with the All Blacks and a visit by a tier-two nation to the Aviva Stadium.
