Rugby:Grand Slam champions France will be the first team to visit the new Aviva Stadium in the 2011 Six Nations, it was announced this afternoon. Marc Lievremont's side swept Ireland aside on their way to the title this year and will visit Dublin on the second weekend of next year's championship.
Declan Kidney’s side will open their campaign in Rome on Saturday, February 5th before welcoming France to the redeveloped Lansdowne Road (now known as the Aviva Stadium).
Ireland then hit the road with trips to Edinburgh and Cardiff before the old enemy England pitch up in Dublin 4 for a potential title decider.
In a break from tradition, the organisers announced that the championship will kick off on a Friday night for the first time, with Wales hosting England under floodlights at the Millennium Stadium.
The tournament has never kicked off on a Friday before but it has been confirmed the arch enemies will go head to head on February 4th in Cardiff.
After four years temporary residence at Croke Park, Ireland return south of the river to their new headquarters in Ballsbridge later this year.
The stadium is due to be completed in the coming weeks but won’t open for business until August 7th when a composite Leinster/Ulster selection will take on a Munster/Connacht collaboration to mark the occasion.
The Republic of Ireland will meet Argentina in a glamour soccer friendly at the 50,000 seater venue while the IRFU have lined up South Africa, Samoa, New Zealand and Argentina in the November Test series.
2011 Six Nations fixtures (All times Irish)
Round One
Friday, February 4th
Wales v England, Millennium Stadium, 7.45pm
Saturday, February 5th
Italy v Ireland, Stadio Flaminio, 2.30pm
France v Scotland, Stade de France, 5pm
Round Two
Saturday, February 12th
England v Italy, Twickenham, 2.30pm
Scotland v Wales, Murrayfield, 5pm
Sunday, February 13th
Ireland v France, Aviva Stadium, 3pm
Round Three
Saturday, February 26th
Italy v Wales, Stadio Flaminio, 2.30pm
England v France, Twickenham, 5pm
Sunday, February 27th
Scotland v Ireland, Murrayfield, 3pm
Round Four
Saturday, March 12th
Italy v France, Stadio Flaminio, 2.30pm
Wales v Ireland, Millennium Stadium, 5pm
Sunday, March 13th
England v Scotland, Twickenham, 3pm
Round Five
Saturday, March 19th
Scotland v Italy, Murrayfield, 2.30pm
Ireland v England, Aviva Stadium, 5pm
France v Wales, Stade de France, 7.45pm