Autumn Nations Series: Wales to host Fiji, Australia and South Africa

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Wales will face Fiji, Australia and South Africa in the autumn international series in November in Cardiff, with two Sunday games.

Warren Gatland’s team open their campaign against Fiji on Sunday, 10 November before facing Australia seven days later.

World champions South Africa visit Cardiff on Saturday, 23 November.

There will be no fourth match scheduled outside World Rugby’s international window.

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) traditionally organises an extra match in November to raise revenue but the governing body says on this occasion there will only be three games.

England, Scotland and Ireland have all organised a fourth fixture in 2024. This will be the first time since 2000 Wales have played only a trio of home matches in the autumn, not including World Cup years where the series does not take place.

Europe’s second-tier champions Georgia had invited Six Nations Wooden Spoon holders Wales to face them in Tbilisi in the autumn, but that has not occurred.

“This is an exciting Autumn Nations Series schedule for Wales, with fixtures against three key southern hemisphere opposition in quick succession,” said WRU executive director of rugby Nigel Walker.

“We look forward to welcoming Fiji, Australia and South Africa to Principality Stadium this November as we celebrate the stadium’s 25th anniversary.

“That is a particularly fitting milestone when we face the Springboks in our series finale having played them in the stadium’s first international fixture back in 1999.”

Wales finished bottom of the 2024 Six Nations for the first time in 21 years after suffering a clean sweep of defeats.

“Wales may have had a disappointing Six Nations campaign but they are always a force to be reckoned with at home,” said South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus.

“So we know we have to be at the top of our game when we line up against them.”

Gatland’s side play South Africa in Twickenham on 22 June before two Tests against Australia on 6 July in Sydney and seven days later in Melbourne.

The trip will finish with a friendly against Queensland Reds in Brisbane on 19 July to end a long season which will have included 18 Wales matches.

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