All Blacks set for Australia date

Ali Williams and Reuben Thorne celebrate their Bledisloe Cup win

Defending champions New Zealand will face arch-rivals Australia in the opening round of next year's Tri-Nations series.

The sides meet in Wellington on 17 July with the All Blacks hosting South Africa in Christchurch a week later.

Australia, Tri-Nations winners in 2000 and 2001, play the Springboks in Perth on 31 July then the All Blacks at Sydney's Olympic Stadium on 7 August.

The final leg of the series will take place in South Africa in mid-August.

The three countries are all expected to announce their warm-up matches shortly with Australia and New Zealand set to take on World Cup champions England.

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2004 Tri-Nations fixtures

17 July - New Zealand v Australia (Wellington)
24 July - New Zealand v South Africa (Christchurch)
31 July - Australia v South Africa (Perth)
7 August - Australia v New Zealand (Sydney)
14 August - South Africa v New Zealand (Johannesburg)
21 August - South Africa v Australia (Durban)