Australia to send second-string team for year-end trip

NEWS: An Australia XV squad will travel to the United Kingdom in November for matches against Bristol Bears and England A.

The squad's first match will be against Bristol at the iconic Ashton Gate on Friday, November 8 - 115 years after the first touring Australian team played a combined Bristol and Clifton team.

The following week, on Sunday, November 17, the side will take on England A at the Twickenham Stoop.

Brumbies assistant coach Rod Seib will lead the group on the tour, which continues the investment in high-quality international matches for a wider group of national players, following last year's heavily Australian influenced Barbarians tour and the 2022 Pacific Nations Cup in Fiji.

The squad will be selected in consultation with the Wallabies and Australia XV coaches.

"We're delighted to work closely with the RFU and Bristol to confirm these fixtures," Rugby Australia's Director of High-Performance Peter Horne said.

"We're committed to our players getting opportunities to play against high-quality international opposition, with the Australia XV program being a great development tool for our country's next best players, coaches, and management.

"With the British & Irish Lions on our shores next year, these fixtures will allow us to continue to build depth and for Joe Schmidt and the Wallabies coaches to get a good look at a wider selection of players."

Australia XV Tour

Friday, November 8: Australia XV v Bristol Bears (19.45 GMT, Ashton Gate, Bristol)

Sunday, November 17: Australia XV v England A (14.00, Twickenham Stoop, London)