The International Rugby Board (IRB) council have moved to reassert the importance of traditional tours between the sport's biggest nations after approving a new decade-long playing schedule.

The new framework, which will take effect in 2012, is designed to support more substantial series involving the best of southern and northern hemisphere countries.

The IRB plan to have northern hemisphere sides touring their southern hemisphere counterparts on a rotational basis every June, with each host nation playing a two or three-Test series against one touring side in the summer window.

There will also be a move back to midweek tour matches, a feature which has fallen out of vogue in the professional era.

In addition to these changes the IRB also outlined a commitment to developing standards among second-tier nations, with return tours planned to the Pacific Islands, North America and 2019 World Cup hosts Japan.

The official statement read: "Traditional tours are back on the international rugby calendar after the International Rugby Board council approved a new global 10-year playing schedule that will shape the Test landscape in the run-up to Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan.

"The schedule, which commences in 2012, will lead to more meaningful Tests between SANZAR and Six Nations unions during the June window, providing an attractive and equitable commercial model."

IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset added: "The approval of this new global schedule represents an historic landmark for the game and is the culmination of extensive work that kicked off at the Woking Forum in 2007 where the global rugby family committed to finding an appropriate schedule that adds value to the June window, provides the catalyst for the growth of our sport and is acceptable to all the game's major stakeholders.

"The development of a global schedule is not an easy task. However, this schedule will lay the foundations for rugby to continue its phenomenal growth throughout the next decade and beyond."