Australia will play home Test matches against five countries prior to next year`s Rugby World Cup after the 2003 domestic Test schedule was confirmed.

Ireland, Wales and England will travel to Australia for one-off Tests against the Wallabies over three consecutive weeks as part of the Bundaberg Rum Rugby Series.

The Tri Nations competition gets underway with South Africa hosting Australia in the first match in Cape Town before the Wallabies return home to host New Zealand at Stadium Australia on July 26, followed by a match against the Springboks in Perth on August 2.

Eden Park will be the scene of the final match of the Tri Nations with the Wallabies playing the All Blacks in both team`s final hit out prior to Rugby World Cup 2003.

National coach Eddie Jones knows next year will be a challenging one for the World Champions.

"It`s a big year but an exciting one," Jones told the ARU's official website.

"We`ve got three of the home nations back-to-back followed by the Tri Nations which equates to seven Tests against five countries and that requires good planning.

"I think the programme is a good one considering that we are playing five countries on our home soil in a World Cup year."

"The squad is looking forward to starting our Tri Nations campaign in South Africa, we see it as a one of the great challenges in world rugby to win there and we can`t wait to go back."

The 2003 Vodafone Wallabies Domestic Test Schedule
June 7: v Ireland, Suncorp-Metway Stadium, Brisbane
June 14: v Wales, Stadium Australia, Sydney
June 21: v England, Docklands Stadium, Melbourne

The 2003 Tri Nations Series Draw
July 12: South Africa v Australia, Newlands, Cape Town
July 19: South Africa v New Zealand, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
July 26: Australia v New Zealand (Bledisloe Cup), Stadium Australia, Sydney
August 2: Australia v South Africa, Subiaco Oval, Perth
August 9: New Zealand v South Africa, Carisbrook, Dunedin
August 16: New Zealand v Australia (Bledisloe Cup), Eden Park, Auckland