The Springboks will play the opening match at the new stadium in Dublin ? on the site of the old Lansdowne Road ? when the 50 000 capacity stadium hosts its first International on November 6 next year.

SA Rugby announced on Thursday that it had accepted an invitation from the Irish Rugby Football Union to be the first international opposition to play Ireland in the new Stadium.

The stadium is due to be handed over to the Irish Rugby Football Union and Football Association of Ireland upon completion in April next year.

Ireland are already scheduled to play Samoa, New Zealand and Argentina during November in 2010 as part of the international calendar.

The Springbok fixture has been added to that schedule to open the international season.

The historical significance of the game will also see a reversal of the age-old international tradition of the home team changing its jersey in the event of a colour clash. To mark the special occasion SA Rugby has agreed to wear an alternative strip to allow the Ireland team to wear their traditional green jersey.

"We're delighted to have been invited to help Ireland mark this historic occasion," said Andy Marinos, acting managing director of SA Rugby.

"It is an honour to have been asked and is the second time that the privilege has gone to the World Champion Springboks. In 1999 we were the opposition when the Welsh Rugby Union opened the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff."

IRFU Chief Executive Philip Browne said: "The [new] stadium promises to become an iconic landmark for Irish sport and we are delighted that World Champions South Africa have agreed to be the opposition for the game."