All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures)

KiwiMurph

However, a New Zealand Rugby spokesperson said the report was not accurate

Number 10

Which just reinforces again: never believe everything you read in a newspaper or on a website .

Stargazer

According to rumours from Midi Olympique (19 March 2018), there may be two more games in June! They say there are negotiations with NZR about 2 games between the French Barbarians and two of the five NZ Super Rugby sides.

French players will arrive in three different groups. A first group - only consisting of players selected for the XV de France squad - will assemble and travel after the Top 14 semi-finals on 25/26 May and, therefore, not include players from the Top 14 finalists. These players from the Top 14 finalists will arrive in the second group of XV de France players after the Top 14 Final on 2 June and land in NZ on the Tuesday before the first test in Auckland (9 June). This group of players will, therefore, not play that first test. The third group, the French Barbarians squad, would be located close to the French squad and only arrive after the first test. They would serve as reserves for the XV de France, but would also include players in their line-up that haven't played the first test. Midol doesn't mention the possible dates for the Barbarians games.

By the way, the French Barbarians will already play a game against Georgia on 31 May in Tbilissi.

Now which Super Rugby sides? The Crusaders are already playing the Western Force on 22 June, so I guess that rules them out. I vaguely remember reading about another SR team playing an Aussie team during the June break. Highlanders?

Personally, if these rumours are true, I would prefer the French Baabaas to play the NZ Baabaas and the Maori ABs (a re-match of the November game).

Billy Tell

@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 | TBC

Thank 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!

Stargazer

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.

Stargazer

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.

antipodean

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.

nzzp

@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.

KiwiMurph

@antipodean and people wonder why they didn't get a Lions test

SammyC

@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?

dogmeat

@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.

Stargazer

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).

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/103312204/invercargill-to-host-highlanders-match-against-french-barbarians

Stargazer

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

Stargazer

https://twitter.com/skysportnz/status/988535687979851776

Stargazer

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.

Crucial

@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.

taniwharugby

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.

Bovidae

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

@bovidae Napier could be a good candidate for a test match, now that they're upgrading their turf.

Bovidae

@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.

The Silver Fern

All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures)