Ireland to play South Africa in two-Test tour next summer

Hansen scored a try as Ireland beat South Africa 13-8 in the last meeting between the sides

Ireland will face world champions South Africa in a two-Test series tour next summer.

It will be Ireland's first trip to South Africa in eight years.

The Pretoria fixture will mark South Africa's return to action for the first time following their World Cup win in France in October.

Ireland, meanwhile, start the defence of their Six Nations title in February in their first action since the World Cup.

When the two sides met on South African soil in 2016, the Boks edged the three-Test series 2-1.

The first Test in the 2016 series marked Ireland's first victory in South Africa as they won 26-20 in Cape Town, before losing the next two games, 32-26 in Johannesburg and 19-13 in Port Elizabeth.

Ireland, Grand Slam winners earlier this year, have since won all three meetings between the sides, including a 13-8 victory over the Boks at Stade de France during the pool stage of the World Cup in September.

SA Rugby also confirmed they will face Portugal on 20 July at a venue yet to be announced.

South Africa will also host New Zealand, who they beat in the World Cup final, in Johannesburg on 31 August and Cape Town on 7 September as part of the Rugby Championship before concluding their home schedule against Argentina on 28 September.