Rugby Championship: A look at at the venues and history
- 245
The Rugby Championship is set to get underway next week with both matches starting in the Pacific region. The All Black will host Los Pumas in Wellington to kick off defense of their title. The Springboks have landed in Brisbane and will face the Wallabies. Both matches are set to take place at iconic stadiums. We take a look at how each team has faired in both staiums
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Brisbane has not been a good hunting ground for the Boks. Since 1993, South Africa have played 13 Test matches in Brisbane and recorded just one win.
Between 1993 and 2002 the Boks played Tests at Ballymore, Lang Park and the Gabba and failed to record a win. Since 2003, the Brisbane Tests between Australia and South Africa have been played at the rebranded Lang Park (Suncorp Stadium).
In the 2003 Test, against the Wallabies, the Boks suffered a 9-29 defeat. Their sole triumph at this venue came 10 years later, in 2013, when the Springboks recorded a 38-12 win over the Wallabies during the Rugby Championship.
Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington
The All Blacks aim to extend their winning streak against Argentina in the 2024 Rugby Championship, set for 10 August at Wellington’s Sky Stadium.
The men in black decisively defeated their formidable South American opponents 44-6 in the 2023 Rugby World Cup semi-final in Paris and secured a 41-12 victory in their pre-World Cup match in Mendoza.
Known as Los Pumas, the passionate Argentinian team is determined to overturn past defeats. However, with the All Blacks’ winning test record of over 75% against them and the advantage of playing on home soil before loyal Wellington fans, it’s a formidable challenge.
