The Australian Rugby Union has officially released the 2015 National Rugby Championship draw, two months out from the start of the third tier competition.

All nine teams from last year’s inaugural NRC will return in 2015, with Fox Sports set to broadcast one live match a week.

The competition will again take matches to regional areas of Australia, with NSW Country set to play matches in Tamworth, Newcastle and Bathurst; QLD Country heading to Toowoomba, Rockhampton, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast and Melbourne Rising playing in Frankston, Morwell and Geelong.

The competition begins on Thursday, 20th August with Brisbane City hosting Perth Spirit in a rematch of last year’s decider. The grand final will likely be played on the 31st October – the same weekend as the Rugby World Cup final.

2015 National Rugby Championship draw

Round 1

Brisbane City v Perth Spirit

North Harbour Rays v Sydney Stars

Greater Sydney Rams v NSW Country Eagles

Queensland Country v Melbourne Rising

UC Vikings – BYE

Round 2

Sydney Stars v Queensland Country

Melbourne Rising v Brisbane City

NSW Country Eagles v UC Vikings

Perth Spirit v North Harbour Rays

Greater Sydney Rams – BYE

Round 3

North Harbour Rays v Melbourne Rising

UC Vikings v Greater Sydney Rams

Sydney Stars v Perth Spirit

Queensland Country v Brisbane City

NSW Country Eagles – BYE

Round 4

Brisbane City v North Harbour Rays

NSW Country Eagles v Sydney Stars

Greater Sydney Rams v Queensland Country

Perth Spirit v UC Vikings

Melbourne Rising – BYE

Round 5 

UC Vikings v Sydney Stars

Melbourne Rising v Greater Sydney Rams

Queensland Country v Perth Spirit

Brisbane City v NSW Country Eagles

North Harbour Rays – BYE

Round 6

NSW Country Eagles v Queensland Country

North Harbour Rays v UC Vikings

Perth Spirit v Melbourne Rising

Sydney Stars v Greater Sydney Rams

Brisbane City – BYE

Round 7

Greater Sydney Rams v North Harbour Rays

UC Vikings v Melbourne Rising

Sydney Stars v Brisbane City

Perth Spirit v NSW Country Eagles

Queensland Country – BYE

Round 8

Melbourne Rising v NSW Country Eagles

UC Vikings v Brisbane City

North Harbour Rays v Queensland Country

Greater Sydney Rams v Perth Spirit

Sydney Stars BYE

Round 9

Queensland Country v UC Vikings

Brisbane City v Greater Sydney Rams

NSW Country Eagles v North Harbour Rays

Melbourne Rising v Sydney Stars

Perth Spirit – BYE