Wallabies to play afternoon Test matches in 2017 June window

'Interesting to see the crowds and TV ratings for those games.' With the ARU scheduling more matches at unsuitable times for European viewers say goodbye to extra TV money when the deal is up for renewal.

The same Scotland that won their most recent test in Australia? The arrogance and delusion of certain Wallabies fans on this site is astounding.

Canberra fans don't deserve a Wallabies test

Captain Obvious! LOL! Totally agree about Japan. It is the future for SH rugby - if SH wants to compete with Europe long term. I will write about this in detail in a future column.

You're right. If it was a Global game, we'd be playing Tonga, Samoa, Japan, Fiji, USA & Canada more. We wouldn't be scheduling a match against Scotland, whose best players will be across the ditch playing in a Rep team. The ARU obviously doesn't want their bottom line to grow either, considering the lack of a Japanese offering for 2 whole years after their historic WC victory and prior to their hosting of the Rugby World Cup.

Thanks Clubber Lang, I wasn't aware that Scotland and Italy are part of the 6 nations. It must be due to the 15 out of 17 wooden spoons they hold between them. Now it's my turn to play Captain Obvious! Clubber Lang, did you know that: Japan has 5 times more people than Australia. Twice as many as the UK. It's the 3rd largest economy in the world, dwarfing the UK which has dropped to 6th post brexit. Japan hasn't lost a game to South Africa, ever.... Japan is in our Timezone. 3:30pm game in Australia = 2:30pm in Japan, 5:30AM in the UK. Broadcast value will be reflected accordingly. Japan is hosting the 2019 World Cup.. The ARU has already put their chips in the Japan Basket with the Sunwolves, so it really is astonishing that we'll have to wait until November 2017 (Fat chance) or 2018 to play a single test against Japan.

I thought rugby was meant to be a "global" game. With the respondents on this thread, you would think that Australia are playing nations ranked 120 in rugby.... Scotland, Italy and Fiji are all ranked in the top 20. Or maybe it's only the top 5 or so nations in world rugby that are competitive, which is disappointing if Aussie rugby fans think like this. Would you rather 3 tests in June 2017 against lesser opponents OR no tests in June 2017?? You want rugby to grow don't you??

They have rescheduled many times and even had bye weekends. But anyway...

What a hopeless line up for June. These games sure won't lift the profile or bank balance of Rugby next year.

That's exactly how it used to be in Sydney before night time tests became the norm. 1st XVs would kickoff @ midday giving ample time to shower, give speeches and then get across town to the stadium. IMO all test matches should be played during the day and whatever club, school, junior games that are scheduled need to be played earlier. This gives the key recipe to ongoing support of the code (the kids) the chance to get to a test match and become hooked on the atmosphere and experience instead of kowtowing to the corporate attendees who add nothing but seats filled with people aggrieved that their conversations have been rudely interrupted by a game of football.

Allianz is a rubbish stadium. Centrally located and good field views, but dilapidated facilities and atrocious services.

There's nothing to suggest that the NSWRU are capable of organising anything.

Scotland and Italy are both part of the 6 nations. They are major nations 9italy obviously to a lesser extent) and they will attract a lot more interest from overseas, revenue, tourism etc than the PI nations perhaps Jopey, you should realise that rugby union aint rugby league where Scotland are a joke... Newcastle is a place near Scotland not just a place north of Sydney Joey.

That's a good idea actually. The PI nations will be based at home as well due to world cup qualifiers against each other. So mixing in matches against them in between the off weekends could be a win win situation.

so what 30k is 30k We can't ignore the fact that 1 out of every 10 Australians lives in western Sydney, and all waratah matches are now exclusively in the east. the west needs these to be played in the west for the good of rugby

Why on earth we are playing Scotland & Italy is beyond me. I can't help but feel the ARU is missing out on a massive opportunity here. Book Tonga, Samoa & Fiji in and make it a "Pacific Cup" of sorts. There should be room for an extra test against Japan in there somewhere considering the B&I Lions are playing until the fortnight after. The ARU should be helping the Pacifica as much as possible! 4 highly competitive teams in our timezone can only be good for Rugby in Australia in the long run. We shouldn't be playing any NH teams in this window except France, and they've been booked out.

The same clubs that wanted to form a breakaway comp, the ones that are at war with the ARU, accomodate Wallaby scheduling and change their schedules? Tell them you're dreaming son.

For each of these weekends, the local club competitions and games should be scheduled on a Friday night with the lower grades on the Saturday morning. Friday night lights, supporting your club? There's no reason the NSWRU can't organise these fixtures 9 months in advance.

Wont the club games be scheduled accordingly to accommodate?

Allianz is a much better fit for an Australia v Scotland test match. I reckon they'll get a 30,000+ which will look good in that stadium. Good decision by the ARU. ANZ's capacity is 83,000 so it would look very empty.