All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures)
-
@stargazer said in 2018 All Blacks Test match venues:
So this looks to be the EOYT schedule, with possibly a mid-week game v Ireland to be added:
All Blacks vs Japan | 3 November 2018 | Tokyo (Ajinomoto Stadium)
All Blacks vs England | 10 November 2018 | London (Twickenham)
All Blacks vs Ireland | 17 November 2018 | TBC
All Blacks vs Italy | 24 November 2018 | TBCThank goodness Italy is 4th and not Ireland! We can put the A team out for England and Ireland, bookended by the B side for the 1st and 4th games. I have a good few Irish mates who will be borderline insufferable if we lose to either England or Ireland or please not both teams!
-
Update about possible games between the French Barbarians and Super Rugby teams in June:
I just read on the French website Rugbyrama that the planned games are against the Crusaders in the week before the 2nd test, and against the Highlanders in the week before the third test.
I'll believe it when I see a confirmation from NZR or both SR teams.
-
Another update from Midol (still no confirmation from NZR): The game of the French Barbarians against the Crusaders will be played in Christchurch and the game against the Highlanders in Invercargill. The French Baabaas squad will prepare for the games in New Caledonia.
-
Went to buy some tickets for the Dunedin Test last night and thought I should check on accommodation. Everything is booked. Everything. Even bus shelters have waiting lists.
Pity as i wanted to see France v All Blacks live again and haven't been to Forsyth Barr Stadium yet.
-
@antipodean said in 2018 All Blacks Test match venues:
Pity as i wanted to see France v All Blacks live again and haven't been to Forsyth Barr Stadium yet.
IT's a bloody good stadium. Fantastic rugby watching, and worth a trip.
-
@antipodean and people wonder why they didn't get a Lions test
-
@kiwimurph said in 2018 All Blacks Test match venues:
@antipodean and people wonder why they didn't get a Lions test
Didn’t 100,000 plus go to Dunedin for ed Sheehan weekend? How many are going down for the ABs?
-
@sammyc I doubt it 3 concerts @ (max) 35,000 = 105K
Surely someone from Dunedin went to a concert
Dunedin just can't cope. I was down in Oamaru for a test weekend a couple of years back and the town was booked solid as nothing could be had closer.
-
Those two French Baabaas games v the Crusaders (Christchurch) and the Highlanders (Invercargill) are now also mentioned on Stuff. Still nothing confirmed by NZR, the Crusaders or Highlanders, but the match schedule on the French Baabaas website includes these two games (although Dunedin instead of Invercargill).
-
NZR have now confirmed the two French Barbarians games.
While the All Blacks will play three Steinlager Series Test matches against France, the French Barbarians will play the Crusaders in Christchurch on Friday 15 June, and the Highlanders on Friday 22 June in Invercargill.Also confirmed:
In August, Christchurch will also host the All Blacks’ Game of Three Halves with the All Blacks playing Canterbury and Otago as they prepare for the Investec Rugby Championship.http://superrugby.co.nz/News/32324/investec-super-rugby-clubs-to-play-french-barbarians-in-june
-
This seemed the best thread to post this.
Invercargill sets its heart on ABs test
A bold bid to bring an All Blacks test match to Invercargill in 2020 is brewing. Various Southland leaders have been investigating what it would take to secure a first All Blacks test at Rugby Park in Invercargill. It is understood a test against Scotland or Argentina in 2020 is viewed as a possibility for Southland. Argentina played at Rugby Park in 2011 when it took on Romania as part of the Rugby World Cup.The All Blacks test schedule has grown over the years, which has prompted New Zealand Rugby to look outside the bigger centres when allocating home test matches. New Plymouth has previously hosted All Blacks tests and this year the All Blacks will play Argentina in Nelson as part of the Rugby Championship.‘‘If Nelson can do it, we can do it,’’ Mr Bellew said. Temporary seating at Rugby Park could boost the ground capacity to more than 20,000, which would help ensure it was a viable prospect for New Zealand Rugby. -
@stargazer said in 2018 All Blacks Test match venues:
This seemed the best thread to post this.
Invercargill sets its heart on ABs test
A bold bid to bring an All Blacks test match to Invercargill in 2020 is brewing. Various Southland leaders have been investigating what it would take to secure a first All Blacks test at Rugby Park in Invercargill. It is understood a test against Scotland or Argentina in 2020 is viewed as a possibility for Southland. Argentina played at Rugby Park in 2011 when it took on Romania as part of the Rugby World Cup.The All Blacks test schedule has grown over the years, which has prompted New Zealand Rugby to look outside the bigger centres when allocating home test matches. New Plymouth has previously hosted All Blacks tests and this year the All Blacks will play Argentina in Nelson as part of the Rugby Championship.‘‘If Nelson can do it, we can do it,’’ Mr Bellew said. Temporary seating at Rugby Park could boost the ground capacity to more than 20,000, which would help ensure it was a viable prospect for New Zealand Rugby.They could combine this with a Guinness Book of Records attempt for the most mullets in one place.
-
no reason why NZR shouldn't be pushing some of these tests around the provinces, many of them have had to upgrade facilities to meet standards required by NZR to host games (Lions, Super Rugby, RWC etc - not that this is a bad thing) so when it comes to the provinces, it shouldn't come down to bums on seats. for being able to hos some of these matches.
-
It does come down to bums on seats for NZR to generate revenue.
The first AB test of the year, usually against a Pacific Island team, was always a good opportunity to play a game in the provinces. But NZR have done away with this game so that's one less test match to allocate away from Auckland and Wellington. Christchurch won't be getting tests until a new stadium is built and Hamilton hasn't hosted a test match since 2016 when we used to get a tier 2 test each season for a period.
-
-
@stargazer I went to the first ever test in Napier vs Samoa in 1996, and then they hosted the Argentina test in 2014.
The problem now is that Auckland and Wellington seem to be guaranteed 2 test matches per year which doesn't leave many other test matches for other cities.
-
isnt the extra Bledisloe where they make the extra $$$, and I thought the vast majority of the money came from TV Rights rather than the 30,000 at Hamilton or 50,000 in Auckland?
Plenty of stadiums outside the traditional centres around NZ that are up to hosting these matches, Palmy, Whangarei, Napier, Invercargill, Rotorua, Tauranga (although I've never been there and hear people moan about it?) NP (although not right now)
Fair chunk of NZR stakeholders outside Auckland and Wellington
-
@taniwharugby IIRC part of the bid to host an AB test includes a fee paid to NZR so the financials need to stack up for the local councils, rugby unions etc. Nelson is relying on a number of private investors to make the test financially viable.
