It is the first of three outings for the Ireland XV this season

The IRFU has confirmed that an Ireland XV will take on Fiji ‘A’ at Virgin Media Park on Friday, November 20th (7.45pm) in a double-header along with the Ireland Under-20 taking on their Scotland counterparts (5pm). It is the first of three outings for the Ireland XV this season.

The Ireland XV will be coached by Mark Sexton (Ulster) who will be assisted by Jimmy Duffy (Munster), Jared Payne (Munster) and IRFU performance pathway scrum coach, Seamus Toomey. The game takes place the night before Ireland’s Nations Championship clash with South Africa at the Aviva Stadium.

The fixture will form part of an important series of matches throughout the upcoming campaign for Ireland XV, with a renewed focus on developing emerging talent and providing players of national interest with valuable match minutes in green and exposure to a national team environment.

Fiji ‘A’ will be the visitors to Cork this November, before Ireland XV take on Chile at Queen’s University in Belfast on Friday, February 12th and then travel to Sandy Park in Exeter to face England ‘A’ on Saturday, February 20th, the same day that Wales host Ireland at the Principality Stadium in the Six Nations Championship.

IRFU Performance Director David Humphreys said: “The Ireland XV programme is an important part of our player development pathway, providing players of national interest with the opportunity to experience the standards, expectations and environment of the senior international set-up.

“These fixtures help bridge the gap between provincial rugby and the senior international squad, allowing players to test themselves against quality opposition while gaining valuable experience in a national team environment. They also give us an opportunity to assess players, build relationships and develop greater depth across the player pool.

“Matches such as the upcoming one against Fiji ‘A’ in Cork are a valuable part of that process, challenging players in different ways and helping to ensure we continue to develop a strong group of players capable of competing in green at international level.”

Broadcast and ticket details will be confirmed shortly.