Australian rugby
Les Bleus confirm three Tests in Australia
July 30, 2013
France coach Philippe Saint-Andre and assistant Patrice Lagisquet, France training session, Marcoussis, France, March 7, 2013
France coach Philippe Saint-Andre and backs coach Patrice Lagisquet need a better showing in 2014 © Getty Images
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The Australian Rugby Union will hope to cash in on this year's hugely successful series against the British and Irish Lions with a three-Test hosting of another northern hemisphere heavyweight team in 2014.

Three-times World Cup runners-up France have revealed the dates they'll play Australia in three Test matches next June. Les Bleus will face the Wallabies in Brisbane on June 7 - a week after the end of France's domestic Top 14 season - then in Melbourne the following Saturday and in Sydney on June 21, the French Rugby Federation said.

France's visit will mark three consecutive years of northern hemisphere nations tackling the Wallabies in three-Test series during the Australian winter.

Apart from the Lions series, which broke all sorts of attendance and revenue records, Six Nations champions Wales took on the Wallabies in three Tests last year.

France thumped Australia 33-6 at the Stade de France in Paris last year, but have struggled against the Wallabies away from home. Their most recent victory came in 1990, when current Les Bleus coach Philippe Saint-Andre and backs coach Patrice Lagisquet were members of the team that won 28-19 in Sydney. On their last trip to Australia, in 2009, France lost 22-6 in Sydney.

Saint-Andre's team have only won once in eight matches in 2013 and embarrassingly finished bottom in the Six Nations tournament last season. It was their first wooden spoon since 1999.

© AAP

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