All-Irish affair for Aviva opener

The first game at new the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on 7 August next year will involve all four provincial teams.

A Leinster/Ulster side will face a Munster/Connacht selection at the revamped Lansdowne Road ground.

The first internationals at the Aviva Stadium will take place next November with four games in the Guinness Series.

Ireland start against world champions South Africa on 6 November and this is followed by encounters with Samoa, New Zealand and Argentina.

Leinster and Ulster were the first representative teams to play in the old Lansdowne Road nearly 133 years ago, on 16 December 1876.

Both provinces were also on hand to play the final game, "The Last Stand" in the stadium on New Year's Eve 2006, when Leinster beat Ulster 20-12 in the Magners League.

"This promises to be a great occasion to open the Aviva Stadium to the Irish rugby public," said IRFU chief executive Philip Browne

"It was felt that a combined provinces fixture would be the most appropriate way to do this, providing a look back into the history of the game while also creating a new chapter for Irish rugby."

The 50,000-seat venue will also host the final of football's Europa Cup in 2011.

During the rebuilding, the Irish rugby side and the Republic of Ireland football team have played their matches at the GAA's Croke Park ground.

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