All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures)
-
@hooroo said in 2018 All Blacks Test match venues:
@shark said in 2018 All Blacks Test match venues:
@rapido said in 2018 All Blacks Test match venues:
@taniwharugby said in 2018 All Blacks Test match venues:
@rapido I think NP was the first provincial town (I am not sure NH can be considered a provincial town) to pick up an AB test in quite a while in 2008, v Samoa.
Yeah. I would say the standard is at least 2 covered stands* down each touchline (Napier, Hamilton, New Plymouth) to be in the running to host a test match.
I am very surprised that Nelson managed to get to host this. it will be 3/4 temporary uncovered stands. I wouldn't think you can set the ticket price high enough if that is the facilities you are offering.
*Albany doesn't meet the 2 covered stands threshold, but it does have a very impressive looking hospitailty level on their one stand that I assume can generate enough revenue to make it worthwhile.
My criteria goes a little further and would rule out Napier and NP probably, but not Hamilton.
Your point re Nelson is largely why I disagree with small regional grounds getting tests ie lack of international class facilities, but I'd also add in difficulty in accessing those centres, and potential lack of accommodation. If I was a touring Argentinian fan, or Scottish fan or whoever ends up playing these games, I'd be pretty disappointed with the arrangement to be fair. I imagine they might feel a lot like the B&I Lions fans - and many travelling locals - did last year when standing on a muddy bank in Rotorua in the rain, not able to get to a beer or a bite to eat all due to third world facilities.
I was at that game in Rotorua and while I was getting wet, beer and food was a doddle to get? (and I was in general admission). At least Rotorua has decent facilities outside the game in terms of hosting.
For me, the reason for having AB tests in satellite towns is more for the locals who will easily fill the stadium in those areas.
You were clearly in a better area than us then Hooroo. We were just behind and to the side of the concrete terraces, standing on a grassy/muddy bank. I would say outside of the stand and said terraces, this was the best place to be in terms of a view of the field. However because of the conditions, scores of people were standing on the only concreted areas available which were the concourses. This blocked access to the food and drink vans we could see in the distance, and made getting to the toilet block at the top of the bank look too difficult as well. So we went from 6 - 9.30pm without a beer or the ability to take a leek. We talked to Lions fans and overheard others talking about how crap the experience was.
-
@rapido my point on NH Stadium was more it's proximity to Auckland as opposed to facilities.
IIRC the facilities NZR required (RWC & Lions) are more the Media and player facilities than covered/uncovered stands.
Part of the problem @shark alludes to is trying to get more bums on seats (or feet in the ground) to make more $$$ at the smaller grounds...alot of people at the Lions game in Whangarei were standing on the grass banks, and while it didnt rain during the game, it had done, alot in the days leading in...I had heard mixed responses from people, with the biggest complaint being the wait for the toilets.
-
@shark Accommodation is also an issue for Dunners. We've looked at going to a test at FBS but buying a ticket seems to be the least of the problems. I've read stories, maybe on here, of people having to drive down from Oamaru which isn't ideal. Not a problem for the locals but for the out-of-towners?
-
@shark said in 2018 All Blacks Test match venues:
@rapido said in 2018 All Blacks Test match venues:
@taniwharugby said in 2018 All Blacks Test match venues:
@rapido I think NP was the first provincial town (I am not sure NH can be considered a provincial town) to pick up an AB test in quite a while in 2008, v Samoa.
Yeah. I would say the standard is at least 2 covered stands* down each touchline (Napier, Hamilton, New Plymouth) to be in the running to host a test match.
I am very surprised that Nelson managed to get to host this. it will be 3/4 temporary uncovered stands. I wouldn't think you can set the ticket price high enough if that is the facilities you are offering.
*Albany doesn't meet the 2 covered stands threshold, but it does have a very impressive looking hospitailty level on their one stand that I assume can generate enough revenue to make it worthwhile.
My criteria goes a little further and would rule out Napier and NP probably, but not Hamilton.
If Addington and Hamilton meets your criteria then so does Napier and New Plymouth.
Of them, only Napier has covered stands around 3/4 of the ground.
-
@rapido said in 2018 All Blacks Test match venues:
@shark said in 2018 All Blacks Test match venues:
@rapido said in 2018 All Blacks Test match venues:
@taniwharugby said in 2018 All Blacks Test match venues:
@rapido I think NP was the first provincial town (I am not sure NH can be considered a provincial town) to pick up an AB test in quite a while in 2008, v Samoa.
Yeah. I would say the standard is at least 2 covered stands* down each touchline (Napier, Hamilton, New Plymouth) to be in the running to host a test match.
I am very surprised that Nelson managed to get to host this. it will be 3/4 temporary uncovered stands. I wouldn't think you can set the ticket price high enough if that is the facilities you are offering.
*Albany doesn't meet the 2 covered stands threshold, but it does have a very impressive looking hospitailty level on their one stand that I assume can generate enough revenue to make it worthwhile.
My criteria goes a little further and would rule out Napier and NP probably, but not Hamilton.
If Addington and Hamilton meets your criteria then so does Napier and New Plymouth.
Of them, only Napier has covered stands around 3/4 of the ground.
Yep, and for the 2014 test match they built (uncovered) temporary stands on the embankment. No problems with accommodation that I can recall either.
New Plymouth wouldn't qualify at the moment, due to their earthquake safety issues.
-
@hooroo said in 2018 All Blacks Test match venues:
For me, the reason for having AB tests in satellite towns is more for the locals who will easily fill the stadium in those areas.
The June tests don't get many travellers, or an Argentina test, and these are the ones moved to the provinces. So, yes, definitelty for the locals.
The main reason for having AB tests in satellite towns these days is that the test calendar has doubled sine the amateur era. 6 or 7 home tests, and there is spectator fatigue in the major centres. Although Auckland is now getting to a size where it can fill an All Black test maybe 3 times a year regardless. Although this may come at the expense of Blues attendances, but we don't really know as the Blues are doing their own best to generate dismal crowds. They had a chance to test my theory last year but instead they allocated South Africa to Albany.
When Christchurch gets it's covered 30k stadium then the ratio of tests to provincial centres will dry up a lot.
In the table I created last page, I was surprised at the low allocation to Napier given how much their stadium has been improved. They must be getting outbid by more aggressive bidders like New Plymouth/TRU. They really need to get in on this before Christchurch rebuilds.
Going a bit further back:
-
@shark said in 2018 All Blacks Test match venues:
@rapido said in 2018 All Blacks Test match venues:
@taniwharugby said in 2018 All Blacks Test match venues:
@rapido I think NP was the first provincial town (I am not sure NH can be considered a provincial town) to pick up an AB test in quite a while in 2008, v Samoa.
Yeah. I would say the standard is at least 2 covered stands* down each touchline (Napier, Hamilton, New Plymouth) to be in the running to host a test match.
I am very surprised that Nelson managed to get to host this. it will be 3/4 temporary uncovered stands. I wouldn't think you can set the ticket price high enough if that is the facilities you are offering.
*Albany doesn't meet the 2 covered stands threshold, but it does have a very impressive looking hospitailty level on their one stand that I assume can generate enough revenue to make it worthwhile.
My criteria goes a little further and would rule out Napier and NP probably, but not Hamilton.
Your point re Nelson is largely why I disagree with small regional grounds getting tests ie lack of international class facilities, but I'd also add in difficulty in accessing those centres, and potential lack of accommodation. If I was a touring Argentinian fan, or Scottish fan or whoever ends up playing these games, I'd be pretty disappointed with the arrangement to be fair. I imagine they might feel a lot like the B&I Lions fans - and many travelling locals - did last year when standing on a muddy bank in Rotorua in the rain, not able to get to a beer or a bite to eat all due to third world facilities.
Nelson isn't difficult to get to - it has New Zealand's fifth busiest airport. It has lots of accommodation - half of Christchurch is here in the summer time and for the Argentina test, I'd guess the vast majority of visitors will be from Christchurch and Wellington.
Trafalgar Park is basically two minutes walk from the central city and the bar precinct and there's heaps of free parking in the streets surrounding the ground. Much better relative location than e.g. AMI or Eden Park.
Nelson has the highest sunshine hours in the country, so best prospects of a fine night of anywhere in the country (excluding inside FSB) and - in case not - they've even re-done the drainage and resurfaced the Park in the off-season (to keep whingeing fuckers happy).
There's highly unlikely to be a howling gale and sideways rain like Wellington or ChCh.
If they were wanting to host a game every year, then ticket prices vs facilities might be an issue - but for one game every five years I'd say "no problema". My tickets were $150 - same as the top price at Westpac Stadium for SA.
Come to Nelson - it'll be quite good!
-
Date confirmed for All Blacks' first ever Test against Wallabies in Perth: Sunday, 11 August 2019, 12.00am NZT (Saturday, 10 August 2019, 8.00pm local time)
Because of the RWC, it will be the only Bledisloe Cup match in Australia in 2019.
-
@stargazer That's a bold move to take a Bledisloe to Perth so quickly after the ARU ditched the Force. I can't imagine ARU have a great deal of goodwill in WA right now. This could backfire.
-
@kiwimurph It was already announced on 7 December 2016 that there would be a Bledisloe test in Perth, so before they ditched the Force, but it will certainly be interesting whether Force fans will stay away in protest, or turn up all dressed in blue.
-
@stargazer said in All Blacks Test match venues: 2018 -:
@kiwimurph It was already announced on 7 December 2016 that there would be a Bledisloe test in Perth, so before they ditched the Force, but it will certainly be interesting whether Force fans will stay away in protest, or turn up all dressed in blue.
By then, the fans who don't cut-off-nose-to-spite face, and actually do turn up... will be confused by the lack of cheerleaders, 9-point tries, shit-rugby, generally tacky showmanship, and the constant leading questions to visiting players/coaches of "How great is all of this? Great, eh? Really cool, eh? Fireworks are awesome, eh?".
(Unless... (shudder) - they keep all of "Twiggy"'s shit, with the All Blacks looking bemused in the midst of it all) -
Announced today, the 2019 Rugby Championship venues in NZ:
Sat, 27 July 2019: All Blacks v South Africa @ Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Sat, 17 August 2019: All Blacks v Australia @ Eden Park, Auckland (Bledisloe II)That's in addition to the Bledisloe I match that was already announced for Sunday, 11 August 2019, 12.00am NZT in Perth.
According to the Irish media (repeated in NZ media), NZ and Ireland are negotiating about a three-test Ireland tour to New Zealand in 2022. If this is true, that makes you wonder about the support for that so-called League of Nations (top 12 ranked nations) that was discussed in the NH International Rugby thread, which WR is supposedly discussing.
The same media are stating that Ireland are also hosting New Zealand in November 2021.
-
I know there's a separate thread, but ths thread contains all announced test & venues:
Saturday 7 September, at 2.35pm: New Zealand v Tonga
http://www.allblacks.com/News/33487/all-blacks-to-play-tonga-in-hamilton-in-2019
-
I couldn't find a better thread for this, so I'm posting this here. I'll make a "pre-RWC internationals" blog post soon.
Manu Samoa will play a New Zealand Heartland XV team at Eden Park on August 31, while Fiji will play Tonga in a double header billed as the Pasifika Challenge II The Road to Japan.One issue though is that the games are on the same day as the second round of the Heartland Championship, so it's likely these provinces will be without their best players for that day. It will also clash with a round of the Mitre 10 Cup and although none of the teams in the Auckland region are playing at home that day, Waikato host Auckland at 7.35pm. -
-
-
@KiwiMurph haha, that headline is quite mis-leading with a picture of Pivac (took me a few sec to realise it was him)
-
The 2020 Steinlager Series opponents were already known, with two tests against Wales and one against Scotland in July announced earlier this year.
Now, the first November test has been announced, too. The All Blacks will play England on 7 November 2020.
-
Another All Blacks test for November 2020 has been confirmed:
In the weekend of 20 November, the ABs will be hosted by Scotland at Murrayfield (kick-off TBC).
-
@Stargazer "Scotland will open the campaign against the Pumas on the weekend of 6 November followed by the previously announced fixture against the Brave Blossoms over weekend of 13 November, before finishing the series against the world’s number-two ranked side, New Zealand, over weekend of 20 November."
So they love to mention that, they don't mention Jap or Arg ranking.
Stuff
All Blacks and Argentina complete 2020 Autumn Tests - Scottish Rugby
