2006 mid-year rugby union internationals

The 2006 mid-year rugby union tests (also known as the Summer Internationals in the Northern Hemisphere) refers to the Rugby union Test matches played during between May and June in 2006. It saw several tests between the touring Northern Hemisphere sides and the home Southern Hemisphere sides, including a test series between Australia and England, Argentina and Wales, New Zealand and Ireland and South Africa and Scotland. France played Romania and the Springboks, while Italy played Fiji and Japan. In addition to this, the Barbarains ended their season with victories over England and Georgia and a defeat to Scotland.

Most of the fixtures acted as end-of-season tours of the Northern Hemisphere nations, and pre season matches for the Tri Nations Series and Pacific 5 Nations for the Southern Hemisphere nations.

Overview

Series

Tour	Result	Victor
Australia v England test series	2–0	Australia
Argentina v Wales test series	2–0	Argentina
New Zealand v Ireland test series	2–0	New Zealand
South Africa v Scotland test series	2–0	South Africa

Other tours

Team/Tour	Opponents
Barbarians tour	England (W) - Scotland (L) - Georgia (W)
French tour	Romania (W) - South Africa (D)
Italian tour	Japan (W) - Fiji (L)

Fixtures

Week 1

28 May 2006 14:30 BST (UTC+01)

England	46 – 19	Barbarians
Try: James Simpson-Daniel (2) Olly Barkley James Forrester David Barnes Delon Armitage Con: Olly Barkley 5/7 Pen: Olly Barkley (2)	Report	Try: Olivier Magne Bruce Reihana Matt Burke Con: Matt Burke 2/3

Twickenham Stadium, London Referee: Donal Courtney (Ireland)

---

31 May 2006 15:00 BST (UTC+01)

Scotland	66 – 19	Barbarians

Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh

---

4 June 2006 13:00 (UTC+04)

Georgia	19 – 28	Barbarians

Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi

Week 2

10 June 2006 19:35 NZST (UTC+12)

New Zealand	34 – 23	Ireland
Try: Howlett Muliaina Flavell Con: McAlister (2) Pen: McAlister (5)	Report	Try: O'Driscoll Trimble Con: O'Gara (2) Pen: O'Gara (3)

Waikato Stadium, Hamilton Attendance: 29,850 Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)

• The scoreline belied the closeness of the contest, as Ireland were 20 minutes away from a first-ever win over the All Blacks, holding a 23–15 lead halfway through the second half.

---

10 June 2006 15:00 SAST (UTC+02)

South Africa	36 – 16	Scotland
Try: Snyman Paulse Montgomery Burger Con: Montgomery (2) Pen: Montgomery (4)	Report	Try: Webster Con: Paterson Pen: Paterson (3)

ABSA Stadium, Durban Attendance: 32,500 Referee: Donal Courtney (Ireland)

• This was Scotland's largest-ever defeat in South Africa.

---

11 June 2006 14:45 ART (UTC-03)

Argentina	27 – 25	Wales
Try: Leguizamón Núñez Piossek Leonelli Con: Todeschini (3) Pen: Todeschini (2)	Report	Try: M. Jones Evans Hook Con: Robinson (2) Pen: Robinson (2)

Raul Conti Stadium, Puerto Madryn Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)

• This was Argentina's first-ever Test in Patagonia. The choice of Wales as the opponent was especially significant, as Puerto Madryn is at the heart of an area settled by Welsh people in the 1860s and where the Welsh language is still frequently spoken.

---

11 June 2006 20:00 AEST (UTC+10)

Australia	34 – 3	England
Try: Latham Gerrard Blake Con: Mortlock (2) Pen: Mortlock (5)		Pen: Barkley

Telstra Stadium, Sydney Attendance: 62,124 Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)

---

11 June 2006 14:05 JST (UTC+09)

Japan	6 – 52	Italy
Pen: Ikeda (2)		Try: Sole Bortolussi Dallan Mi. Bergamasco (2) Dellapè de Jager Con: Pez (4) Bortolussi (3) Pen: Pez

Chichibunomiya, Tokyo Attendance: 8,826 Referee: Scott Young (Australia)

Week 3

17 June 2006 19:35 NZST (UTC+12)

New Zealand	27 – 17	Ireland
Try: Dermody Kelleher McAlister Con: McAlister (3) Pen: McAlister (2)	Report	Try: Flannery O'Connell Con: O'Gara (2) Pen: O'Gara

Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)

---

17 June 2006 14:45 ART (UTC-03)

Argentina	45 – 27	Wales
Try: Tiesi (2) J. M. Fernández Lobbe Con: Todeschini (3) Pen: Todeschini (8)	Report	Try: Delve S. Williams Byrne Con: Robinson Hook (2) Pen: Hook (2)

Vélez Sársfield, Buenos Aires Attendance: 18,102 Referee: Dave Pearson (England)

• Argentina win a Test series against Wales for the first time ever.

---

17 June 2006 20:00 AEST (UTC+10)

Australia	43 – 18	England
Try: Smith Gerrard (2) Tuqiri Chisholm Latham Con: Mortlock (5) Pen: Mortlock		Try: Chuter Varndell Con: Goode Pen: Goode Drop: Goode

Telstra Dome, Melbourne Attendance: 41,278 Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand)

• This was England's fifth consecutive Test defeat, their worst streak since 1984. Australia's George Gregan made his 120th international appearance, setting an all-time record for the sport.

---

17 June 2006 20:00 (UTC+12)

Fiji	29 – 18	Italy
Try: Ligairi Caucaunibuca Rauluni Salabog Con: Bai (3) Pen: Bai	Report	Try: Sole Lo Cicero Con: Pez Pen: Pez (2)

Churchill Park, Lautoka Attendance: 10,000 Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)

• Fiji claim a Six Nations scalp for the first time since 2000, when they defeated Italy (then newly admitted to the Six Nations), the last time the Azzurri visited Churchill Park.

---

17 June 2006 15:00 SAST (UTC+02)

South Africa	29 – 15	Scotland
Try: Du Preez Pen: Montgomery (7) Van der Westhuyzen		Try: Macfadyen Webster Con: Paterson Pen: Paterson

EPRFU Stadium, Port Elizabeth Attendance: 35,000 Referee: Tony Spreadbury (England)

• Fullback Percy Montgomery became the first Springbok to score 600 Test points.

---

17 June 2006 18:00 EEST/GMT+03 (UTC+03)

Romania	14 – 62	France
Try: Fercu Pen: Vlaicu (3)		Try: Jauzion Martin Dusautoir Traille Marconnet Castaignède Szarzewski Laharrague Marty Con: Traille (6) Castaignède Pen: Traille

Cotroceni Stadium, Bucharest Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)

Week 4

24 June 2006 18:00 AWST (UTC+08)

Australia	37 – 15	Ireland
Try: Latham Gerrard Holmes Gregan Shepherd Con: Mortlock (3) Pen: Mortlock (2)	Report	Try: O'Gara Best Con: O'Gara Pen: O'Gara

Subiaco Oval, Perth Attendance: 38,200 Referee: Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand)

---

24 June 2006 15:00 SAST (UTC+02)

South Africa	26 – 36	France
Try: Russell Pen: Montgomery (7)	Report	Try: Heymans Clerc (2) Traille Con: Yachvili (2) Pen: Yachvili (2) Drop: Fritz Traille

Newlands Stadium, Cape Town Attendance: 52,000 Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)

• South Africa suffered their first defeat at home since 2003. The result meant that the teams switched places in the world rankings, with France overtaking South Africa for second.

---

24 June 2006 20:40 ART (UTC-03)

Argentina	19 – 25	New Zealand
Try: Durand Con: Todeschini Pen: Todeschini (4)	Report	Try: Carter MacDonald Hamilton Con: Carter (2) Pen: Carter (2)

Vélez Sársfield, Buenos Aires Attendance: 37,000 Referee: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)

See also

• Mid-year rugby union test series
• 2006 end-of-year rugby union tests
• 2006 IRB Churchill Cup
• 2006 IRB Pacific 5 Nations
• 2006 IRB Nations Cup
• 2006 France rugby union tour

External links

• 2006 Bundaberg Rum Rugby Series at Rugby.com.au
• 2006 All Blacks fixtures at AllBlacks.com
• 2006 Springboks fixtures at SARugby.co.za