All Blacks confirm Eden Park Test double header including Samoa, Wales and Tonga

THE All Blacks will prepare for the British and Irish Lions by playing Samoa as part of a Test double header in Auckland that also features Tonga against Wales, New Zealand Rugby said on Tuesday.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said the match against the hard tackling Samoans would give the All Blacks a hitout before the first Test against the Lions on June 24 at Eden Park.

The Tonga-Wales match on June 16 had already been moved to the Auckland venue after facilities in Nuku’alofa were deemed substandard, so the NZR said it made sense to stage the All Blacks-Samoa match there as well.

Hansen said the Friday night double-header would be an attractive proposition for fans.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/a...434f6af01b1123

AKA: NZRU finally caves to pressure from everywhere and plays a test against a PI neighbour. (After ensuring there isn't any potential players it wants to steal this season)

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Originally Posted by jono

AKA: NZRU finally caves to pressure from everywhere and plays a test against a PI neighbour. (After ensuring there isn't any potential players it wants to steal this season)

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Is that the same reason we're playing Fiji?

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Originally Posted by beige

Is that the same reason we're playing Fiji?

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I thought we'd be playing Fiji because the NZ government wouldn't let some of the Fiji players into NZ?
because based on our super rugby form we should be looking at all their players as potential recruits for the wallabies