Get those alarm clocks set over three weekends in June as Sky Sports screens live and exclusive coverage of the Home Nation’s summer international rugby tours of the Southern Hemisphere, featuring England in New Zealand from June 7-21.
After a dramatic domestic season, England’s elite have boarded the plane to the Antipodes to take on the reigning world champions for a three-Test series in New Zealand for the first time, as Stuart Lancaster looks to cut down the 2011 World Cup winners in their own back yard.
Lancaster’s side started this year’s Six Nations badly with a defeat in France, but won their remaining four matches to finish second behind Ireland on points difference.
The last meeting between England and New Zealand saw an epic battle at Twickenham as the hosts fought back from 17-3 down, only to run out of steam and end up losing 30-22 to Steve Hansen’s side.
There is plenty of encouragement for Lancaster’s men, though, who are starting to look forward to next year’s World Cup on home soil.
The tourists will be without several key men for the first Test in Auckland on June 7 with the likes of Owen Farrell, Billy Vunipola, Courtney Lawes and Luther Burrell all missing out after Northampton’s win over Saracens in the Premiership final.
New Zealand won’t be writing their opponents off, though, as the fixture clash gives a chance to some of the outsiders in Lancaster’s squad, and they will be desperate to prove themselves against the world’s best side.
England then have another Test against the All Blacks in Dunedin on June 14 before facing Super Rugby side Crusaders in Christchurch on June 17.
The tour comes to its conclusion at the Waikato Stadium in Hamilton on June 21 as they look to board the plane home with at least one victory under their belts, if not a series win, which will give them real confidence heading into a World Cup year.
In more sociable hours, Wales tour South Africa for a two-test series, starting on June 14 in Durban where they will hope to record their first ever victory in South Africa.
Wales haven’t tasted victory against 2007 world champions South Africa since 1999 when tries from Mark Taylor and Gareth Thomas led them to a 29-19 success.
Joe Schmidt’s Ireland travel to Argentina to play two test matches against the Pumas with both also exclusively live on Sky Sports.
The Irish last played the Argentinians in 2012 when they ran in seven tries in a 46-24 annihilation, a result which saw them cement a top-eight ranking ahead of the 2015 World Cup.
Scotland will also play a test match in Argentina this summer, with the men in dark blue having won their last three meetings with the Pumas.
Vern Cotter, who begins his reign as Scotland’s head coach this summer, will look to extend that run against the Pumas, and will also be looking for two strong performances in the Northern Hemisphere against the United States and Canada, which kick start their four-test tour, concluding with a match against South Africa on June 28.
Scotland’s matches against Argentina and South Africa will be shown live on Sky Sports, while live coverage of the USA encounter will be broadcast online via the Daily Record website and the match against Canada in Torontowill be shown by BT Sport.
As well as the four Home Nations in action, France will play a three-test series against Australia, with every match also live on Sky Sport, as Philippe Saint-Andre’s men look to record their first victory down under since 1990.
France recorded their first victory over the Wallabies in seven years when the pair last met at Stade de France in November
2012, with tries from Louis Picamoles and Wesley Fofana being enough to secure a 33-6 triumph.
Rugby union fans can look forward to a wealth of international ties throughout June, all exclusively live on Sky Sports.
Alex Payne will introduce live coverage of all three of England’s test matches in New Zealand alongside guests including Sean Fitzpatrick and Will Greenwood, while match commentary comes from Miles Harrison and Stuart Barnes.
Live coverage can be viewed in a variety of ways by Sky Sports customers on all devices via Sky Go and also in high-definition on Sky Sports HD.
You can keep up to date with all the latest reports, score flashes and results during the summer by logging onto the Sky Sports rugby union website, or by following Sky Sports’ dedicated rugby union Twitter feed – @SkySportsRugby.
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Tuesday 10th June
EASTERN KINGS v WALES – Friendly (Port Elizabeth)
Kick-off: 18:00 LIVE: 5.30pm-8.15pm Sky Sports 2
Saturday 14th June
NEW ZEALAND v ENGLAND – 2nd Test (Dunedin)
Kick-off: 08:35 LIVE: 8.00am-11.00am Sky Sports 1
AUSTRALIA v FRANCE – 2nd Test (Melbourne)
Kick-off: 11:00 LIVE: 11.00am-1.30pm Sky Sports 1
SOUTH AFRICA v WALES – 1st Test (Durban)
Kick-off: 16:00 LIVE: 3.30pm-6.30pm Sky Sports 1
CANADA v SCOTLAND – Only Test (Toronto)
Kick-off: 19:00 LIVE: BT Sport 2
ARGENTINA v IRELAND – 2nd Test (Tucuman)
Kick-off: 19:40 LIVE: 7.30pm-10.00pm Sky Sports 1
Tuesday 17th June
CRUSADERS v ENGLAND – Friendly (Christchurch)
Kick-off: 08:35 LIVE: 8.00am-11.00am Sky Sports 1
Friday 20th June
ARGENTINA v SCOTLAND – Only Test (Cordoba)
Kick-off: 20:10 LIVE: 8.00pm-10.15pm Sky Sports 3
Saturday 21st June
AUSTRALIA v FRANCE – 3rd Test (Sydney)
Kick-off: 06:00 LIVE: 5.45am-8.00am Sky Sports 1
NEW ZEALAND v ENGLAND – 3rd Test (Hamilton)
Kick-off: 08:35 LIVE: 8.00am-11.00am Sky Sports 1
SOUTH AFRICA v WALES – 2nd Test (Nelspruit)
Kick-off: 14:00 LIVE: 1.30pm-4.30pm Sky Sports 1
Saturday 28th June
SOUTH AFRICA v SCOTLAND – Only Test (Port Elizabeth)
Kick-off: 16:00 LIVE: 3.30pm-6.30pm Sky Sports 3
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Need to have a ‘Highlights’ or ‘Repeat’ link to listings for us poor people that missed the live event