2006 mid-year rugby test series

During June of 2006, several rugby union test sides played fixtures that were mainly contested in southern nations. It acted as end of year tours of the Northern Hemisphere nations, and pre season matches for the Tri Nations Series and Pacific 5 Nations.

Fixtures

Week 1

10 June 2006 19:35 NZST (UTC+12)	New Zealand	34 – 23	Ireland	Waikato Stadium, Hamilton Attendance: 29,850 Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
	Try: Howlett Muliaina Flavell Con: McAlister (2) Pen: McAlister (5)		Try: O'Driscoll Trimble Con: O'Gara (2) Pen: O'Gara (3)

• The scoreline belied the closeness of the contest, as Ireland were 20 minutes away from a first-ever win over the All Blacks, holding a 23–15 lead half-way through the second half.

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10 June 2006 15:00 SAST (UTC+02)	South Africa	36 – 16	Scotland	ABSA Stadium, Durban Attendance: 32,500 Referee: Donal Courtney (Ireland)
	Try: Snyman Paulse Montgomery Burger Con: Montgomery (2) Pen: Montgomery (4)		Try: Webster Con: Paterson Pen: Paterson (3)

• This was Scotland's largest-ever defeat in South Africa.

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11 June 2006 14:45 ART (UTC-03)	Argentina	27 – 25	Wales	Raul Conti Stadium, Puerto Madryn Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
	Try: Leguizamón Núñez Piossek Leonelli Con: Todeschini (3) Pen: Todeschini (2)		Try: M. Jones Evans Hook Con: Robinson (2) Pen: Robinson (2)

• This was Argentina's first-ever Test in Patagonia. The choice of Wales as the opponent was especially significant, as Puerto Madryn is at the heart of an area settled by Welsh people in the 1860s and where the Welsh language is still frequently spoken.

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11 June 2006 20:00 AEST (UTC+10)	Australia	34 – 3	England	Telstra Stadium, Sydney Attendance: 62,124 Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)
	Try: Latham Gerrard Blake Con: Mortlock (2) Pen: Mortlock (5)		Pen: Barkley

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11 June 2006 14:05 JST (UTC+09)	Japan	6 – 52	Italy	Chichibunomiya, Tokyo Attendance: 8,826 Referee: Scott Young (Australia)
	Pen: Ikeda (2)		Try: Sole Bortolussi Dallan Mi. Bergamasco (2) Dellapè de Jager Con: Pez (4) Bortolussi (3) Pen: Pez

Week 2

17 June 2006 19:35 NZST (UTC+12)	New Zealand	27 – 17	Ireland	Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
	Try: Dermody Kelleher McAlister Con: McAlister (3) Pen: McAlister (2)		Try: Flannery O'Connell Con: O'Gara (2) Pen: O'Gara

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17 June 2006 14:45 ART (UTC-03)	Argentina	45 – 27	Wales	Vélez Sársfield, Buenos Aires Attendance: 18,102 Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
	Try: Tiesi (2) J. M. Fernández Lobbe Con: Todeschini (3) Pen: Todeschini (8)		Try: Delve S. Williams Byrne Con: Robinson Hook (2) Pen: Hook (2)

• Argentina win a Test series against Wales for the first time ever.

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17 June 2006 20:00 AEST (UTC+10)	Australia	43 – 18	England	Telstra Dome, Melbourne Attendance: 41,278 Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand)
	Try: Smith Gerrard (2) Tuqiri Chisholm Latham Con: Mortlock (5) Pen: Mortlock		Try: Chuter Varndell Con: Goode Pen: Goode Drop: Goode

• This was England's fifth consecutive Test defeat, their worst streak since 1984. Australia's George Gregan made his 120th international appearance, setting an all-time record for the sport.

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17 June 2006 20:00 (UTC+12)	Fiji	29 – 18	Italy	Churchill Park, Lautoka Attendance: 10,000 Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
	Try: Ligairi Caucaunibuca Rauluni Salabog Con: Bai (3) Pen: Bai		Try: Sole Lo Cicero Con: Pez Pen: Pez (2)

• Fiji claim a Six Nations scalp for the first time since 2000, when they defeated Italy (then newly admitted to the Six Nations), the last time the Azzurri visited Churchill Park.

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17 June 2006 15:00 SAST (UTC+02)	South Africa	29 – 15	Scotland	EPRFU Stadium, Port Elizabeth Attendance: 35,000 Referee: Tony Spreadbury (England)
	Try: Du Preez Pen: Montgomery (7) Van der Westhuyzen		Try: Macfadyen Webster Con: Paterson Pen: Paterson

• Fullback Percy Montgomery became the first Springbok to score 600 Test points.

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17 June 2006 18:00 EEST/GMT+03 (UTC+03)	Romania	14 – 62	France	Cotroceni Stadium, Bucharest Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
	Try: Fercu Pen: Vlaicu (3)		Try: Jauzion Martin Dusautoir Traille Marconnet Castaignède Szarzewski Laharrague Marty Con: Traille (6) Castaignède Pen: Traille

Week 3

24 June 2006 18:00 AWST (UTC+08)	Australia	37 – 15	Ireland	Subiaco Oval, Perth Attendance: 38,200 Referee: Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand)
	Try: Latham Gerrard Holmes Gregan Shepherd Con: Mortlock (3) Pen: Mortlock (2)		Try: O'Gara Best Con: O'Gara Pen: O'Gara

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24 June 2006 15:00 SAST (UTC+02)	South Africa	26 – 36	France	Newlands Stadium, Cape Town Attendance: 52,000 Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
	Try: Russell Pen: Montgomery (7)		Try: Heymans Clerc (2) Traille Con: Yachvili (2) Pen: Yachvili (2) Drop: Fritz Traille

• South Africa suffered their first defeat at home since 2003. The result meant that the teams switched places in the world rankings, with France overtaking South Africa for second.

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24 June 2006 20:40 ART (UTC-03)	Argentina	19 – 25	New Zealand	Vélez Sársfield, Buenos Aires Attendance: 37,000 Referee: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)
	Try: Durand Con: Todeschini Pen: Todeschini (4)		Try: Carter MacDonald Hamilton Con: Carter (2) Pen: Carter (2)

See also

• 2006 Tri Nations Series

References

• All Blacks vs Ireland June 10
• South Africa vs Scotland June 10
• Australia vs England June 11 (cache)
• Argentina vs Wales June 11
• All Blacks vs Ireland June 17
• Argentina vs Wales June 17
• Fiji vs Italy June 17 (Planet Rugby)
• Fiji vs Italy June 17 (Guardian Unlimited Sport)
• Australia vs Ireland June 24
• South Africa vs France June 24
• Argentina vs New Zealand June 24 (allblacks.com)
• Argentina vs New Zealand June 24 (TVNZ)

External links

• 2006 Bundaberg Rum Rugby Series at Rugby.com.au
• 2006 All Blacks fixtures at AllBlacks.com
• 2006 Springboks fixtures at SARugby.co.za