England will play a Test match in Newcastle for the first time in preparation for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, the Rugby Football Union has announced.

Italy will be England’s opponents at St James’ Park on September 6, 2019, in one of four pre-World Cup warm-up matches.

Eddie Jones’ side will play Wales twice – on August 11 at Twickenham and six days later in Cardiff – and Ireland at Twickenham on August 24.

St James’ Park has a capacity of 52,345 and hosted matches in the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

It is the first time since October 2015 that England have played a home Test away from Twickenham.

That was the 2015 World Cup dead rubber with Uruguay at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, when England were eliminated at the pool stage, prompting the departure of Stuart Lancaster as head coach and the appointment of Jones.

England last played a home Test away from Twickenham against Uruguay at the 2015 Rugby World Cup in Manchester
England last played a home Test away from Twickenham against Uruguay at the 2015 Rugby World Cup in Manchester (Nigel French/PA Images)

England have played home Tests at Old Trafford, Manchester – in 1997 against New Zealand and 2009 against Argentina – and in Huddersfield, when Italy and Holland were the opponents in 1998.

Jones said: “These Quilter Internationals will be extremely important to the squad’s final preparations before we head out to Japan.

“It is great news to be able to take England to another part of the country and Newcastle will be fantastic hosts like they were for the matches here in 2015.

“We will look forward to playing in front of a great northern crowd.”