All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures)
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@stargazer I went to the first test at McLean Park (vs Samoa) in 1996.
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i'd love to see an AB game in Fiji, Samoa, or Tonga. Maybe one day/year...
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@stargazer our last one was....
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Hamilton has a decent stadium that is fit for purpose
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The test I went to in Napier was notable for 3 things:
(1) The debut of Christian Cullen (and Scott McLeod).
(2) The first test played under lights in New Zealand.
(3) The first test played outside the four main centres.So AB tests have only been hosted outside the traditional main centres in the last 25 years. The ABs played Fiji in Albany, and Argentina in Hamilton the following year (1997).
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I've no doubt that the ABs test matches this year will go to the main centres, because they'll want as much revenue as possible and they'll expect to be able to sell out the bigger stadiums. But if there's also a Māori All Blacks game, or All Blacks XV etc, it should IMO go to a stadium outside the main centres (not Rotorua again). Napier and Whangārei should be prime candidates (Albany already gets the women's RWC). Maybe for All Blacks XV also consider Chch, which won't get a proper test until their new stadium is ready.
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@stargazer said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
@bovidae Our last one was in 2014.
Went for a boys weekend for my bday, bloody rocked!
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Test Vs Tonga, then two tests Vs Fiji. Confirmed.
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All Blacks vs Tonga, Saturday 3 July, 7.05PM, plus Māori All Blacks vs Manu Samoa (kick-off TBC), Mt Smart Stadium, AUCKLAND
All Blacks vs Fiji, Saturday 10 July, 7.05PM, Forsyth Barr Stadium, DUNEDIN
All Blacks vs Fiji, Saturday 17 July, 7.05PM, plus Tonga vs Samoa (kick-off TBC), FMG Stadium Waikato, HAMILTON
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2021 Steinlager Series
Saturday, 3 July (Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland):
- Māori All Blacks vs Manu Samoa - kick-off TBC
- All Blacks vs Tonga - kick-of 7.05pm
Saturday 10 July (Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin)- All Blacks vs Fiji - kick-of 7.05pm
Saturday 17 July (FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton)- Tonga vs Samoa (kick-off TBC)
- All Blacks vs Fiji - kick-off 7.05pm
Tickets go on pre-sale on 1 June and Public sale on 4 June.
Meanwhile, Manu Samoa will also play a second RWC 2023 Qualifying match against Tonga, with further details on that match to be confirmed at a later date.
The All Blacks schedule for The Rugby Championship, as well as an additional Bledisloe Cup Test, will be announced in due course, with Eden Park and Wellington’s SKY Stadium expected to host a number of games. -
So we won't see any Fijians or Samoans from anywhere but NZ or Oz - maybe they'll get some non pros in from the islands who could quarantine before the test window. Maybe some Fijians will make it over for the last test, as they don't have to quarantine on the way back (for the UK at least, not sure about the rest of Europe)
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@machpants So a precursor to Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Drua.
It will be interesting to see the strength of their teams. I am sure the European-based players would be keen to play the ABs but, as usual, their clubs will ultimately decide.
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@stargazer said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
@dan54 Yes, but if they have to go into quarantine upon return, that will reduce their availability for the test squad, because clubs won't allow them to arrive late for preseason.
They have to quarantine in NZ, so the first 2 weeks are out, so only the 3rd test vs Fiji could have some. They may (UK doesn't from NZ) have to then quarantine on return, and thus they won't be able to come as they can't make it back inside the window. They are only released for those 3 weekends.
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We can't throw stone anymore re: PI availability.
There are no Fa'atau's, Lam's, So'oalos, Vunibaka's, Bari's, Fenukitau, Caucau's, Lima's left in our league like there was 20 years ago.
Now they are all Reece's, Fakatava's, Sowakula's, Korobiete's, Vunivalu's, Naisarani's, Frizzell's. On central contracts already captured, waiting to be nation-captured, or not prepared to shoe-horn themsleves into the 3 risky overseas player spots (so, pretending they are waiting to be captured until they are ready for move to Japan or Europe).
These 3 tests are just content for contents sake, sadly. Like the quarter-filled Eden Park double header before the Lions test. (NZ v Samoa, Wales v Tonga) - I'm not sure there is much appetite from PI supporters in NZ for matches where they are left with the dregs to play against cream (So, a good barometer on Moana Pasifika).
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@rapido said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
We can't throw stone anymore re: PI availability.
There are no Fa'atau's, Lam's, So'oalos, Vunibaka's, Bari's, Fenukitau, Caucau's, Lima's left in our league like there was 20 years ago.
Now they are all Reece's, Fakatava's, Sowakula's, Korobiete's, Vunivalu's, Naisarani's, Frizzell's. On central contracts already captured, waiting to be nation-captured, or not prepared to shoe-horn themsleves into the 3 risky overseas player spots (so, pretending they are waiting to be captured until they are ready for move to Japan or Europe).
That's more about eligibility than availability IMO. The players who play in the NH are eligible, but their clubs make it almost impossible for them to play for the country they're eligible to play for, because they don't want to release them (as required by WR Regulations).
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