Wallabies to chase elusive grand slam

Fresh from a successful World Cup campaign, the Wallabies have set their sights on a history-making northern hemisphere grand slam in 2016.

The Australian side, who finished runner-up to New Zealand in last month's World Cup, will cap a hectic 2016 with a five-Test European tour.

The only time the Wallabies have completed the grand slam - the four home nations of Britain and Ireland - was in 1984 when they were coached by Alan Jones.

They have attempted the feat nine times, with the most recent attempt in 2013, where the Wallabies opened with a loss to England before defeating Italy, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

During the month-long tour the Australians will also play two mid-week matches.

"The grand slam is one of the rarest achievements in the game and has been a notoriously difficult one for the Wallabies over time with only one successful attempt out of nine," said Australian Rugby Union CEO Bill Pulver.

The men in gold will open their campaign against Wales at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on November 5 before travelling to Edinburgh to face Scotland a week later.

Australia then play France in Paris on November 19 before meeting Ireland a week later in Dublin and concluding the tour against England at Twickenham on December 3.

In a huge year the Wallabies will also host England in a three-Test series before they defend their Rugby Championship title and take on New Zealand in a three-Test Bledisloe Cup series.

Rugby will also return to the Olympics with sevens teams battling it out in Rio.

WALLABIES SPRING TOUR SCHEDULE

- November 5: v Wales at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

- November 12: v Scotland at Murrayfield, Edinburgh

- November 19: v France at Stade De France, Paris

- November 26: v Ireland at Aviva Stadium, Dublin

- December 3: v England at Twickenham Stadium, London