Boks confirm Ireland series among home fixtures for 2016

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa will play three tests against Six Nations champions Ireland in 2016, the Springboks said on Friday as they confirmed their home schedule for next year's international rugby season. The South African Rugby Union (SARU) announced they would host Ireland on consecutive Saturdays starting on June 11, with the matches to be staged in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth respectively. The Rugby World Cup bronze medallists begin the home leg of their Rugby Championship campaign when they entertain Argentina in Nelspruit on Aug. 20, before embarking on three away games. They return home to play Australia in Pretoria on Oct. 1. World champions New Zealand will play their first test in South Africa away from Johannesburg's Ellis Park since 2011 when they take on the Boks a week later in Durban (Oct. 8). South Africa's 2016 home fixtures: Series versus IrelandJune 11: 1st Test, Newlands, Cape TownJune 18: 2nd Test, Ellis Park, JohannesburgJune 25: 3rd Test, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth Rugby Championship Aug 20: v Argentina, Mbombela Stadium, NelspruitOct. 1: v Australia, Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaOct. 8: v New Zealand, Kings Park, Durban (Reporting by Nick Said; editing by Toby Davis)