Current Six Nations champions, Ireland, will play a three-Test series against the Springboks in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth in June 2016, the South African Rugby Union (SARU) announced on Friday.

Ireland, who topped in their pool in the 2015 Rugby World Cup – before losing to Argentina in the quarterfinals, will face up to the Springboks at DHL Newlands on Saturday, June 11 – their first clash at this iconic rugby venue since June 2014.

SARU also confirmed that back-to-back Rugby World Cup champions, New Zealand, would venture away from Johannesburg for the first time since 2011 when they meet the Springboks at Growthpoint Kings Park, Durban, on October 8 in the 2016 Castle Lager Rugby Championship.

Rugby World Cup finalists Australia return to Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, while their semifinal opponents, Argentina, will venture into new territory for the Pumas, in Nelspruit, when they take on the Boks in the opening round of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship on August 20.

2016 SPRINGBOK HOME FIXTURES:

Castle Lager Incoming Series v Ireland:
– June 11: South Africa v Ireland (First Test), DHL Newlands, Cape Town
– June 18: South Africa v Ireland (Second Test), Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
– June 25: South Africa v Ireland (Third Test), Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Castle Lager Rugby Championship (home fixtures):
– August 20: South Africa v Argentina, Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
– October 1: South Africa v Australia, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
– October 8: South Africa v New Zealand, Growthpoint Kings Park, Durban