Both the Irish Women’s and U20 international Rugby teams will play all their home matches in next years RBS 6 Nations Championship on the all weather surface of Donnybrook Stadium in Dublin.
The Women’s team wil relocate from Ashbourne in County Meath which has been their home throughout a period of great success but which has been criticised for a lack of public transport options and which last year suffered a power outage that delayed the Championship match against France.
The U20 team will leave Dubarry Park in Athlone to head to the Capital for their home fixtures.
Bringing the two sides to a single location and synchronising kick off times so they no longer clash could yet have an added benefit of delivering more live television coverage for the Women’s team.
Key games to win Championships in the last three years away to Italy and away to Scotland have been broadcast live on mainstream RTÉ but others have been limited to online streaming and radio due in part to clashes with the U20 team and commercial obligations around sponsorship and television coverage of that team.
Wider solus coverage of both sides will benefit existing sponsors Aon with the Women’s team and PwC with the U20 side.
The fixtures for 2016 have been announced along with the switch in venue and each side will play three home games, against Wales, Italy and Scotland starting on the weekend of February 5th and 6th.
The U20’s will stick to the Friday night slot with the Women’s team playing at a more family friendly time of 1pm on Saturday against Wales and Sunday for the two remaining games.
“The move to a bigger venue is fantastic for the development of the game but we will of course miss Ashbourne where we have always been made so welcome and were so well looked after,” said Ireland team captain Niamh Briggs.
“We are delighted to have left on the high of a Championship win and hope that all the supporters that followed our journey will join us for the next steps in the development of our game at Donnybrook.”
2016 RBS 6 Nations Schedule at Donnybrook Stadium
Friday, February 5 – Ireland Under-20s v Wales Under-20s, 7.35pm
Saturday, February 6 – Ireland Women v Wales Women, 1pm
Friday, March 11 – Ireland Under-20s v Italy Under-20s, 7.35pm
Sunday, March 13 – Ireland Women v Italy Women, 1pm
Friday, March 18 – Ireland Under-20s v Scotland Under-20s, 7.35pm
Sunday, March 20 – Ireland Women v Scotland Women, 1pm
