Wallabies to face Ireland at SCG in 2020

David Smith
AAP
November 1, 2019 6:14AM


Australia will play Ireland next year in the first rugby Test at the SCG in 34 years.

The Wallabies will take on the 2018 Six Nations champions in the second match of their scheduled series at the hallowed
venue on July 11.

Australia have not competed in a Test match at the stadium since their 26-0 win over Argentina in July 1986.

With Allianz Stadium and ANZ Stadium undergoing renovations, Rugby Australia has opted for the SCG's 48,000-seat capacity in the hope of attracting a large crowd.

Australia last played Ireland there 40 years ago, with the only other battle between the two nations at the ground occurring 12 years earlier, in 1967.

"The Sydney Cricket Ground is one of the most iconic venues in Australian sport and has hosted some of the most famous Rugby Test matches ever played in this country," Rugby Australia Chief Executive, Raelene Castle said on Friday.

"Returning there in 2020 for the second Test against Ireland will be a nostalgic experience for those who watched Test matches there through the 60's, 70's and 80's and a chance to be part of history for the younger generation watching a Test at the SCG for the first time."

The first match of next year's series will take place on July 4th at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

Ireland won the series 2-1 last year.

Australia claimed the first match 18-9 at Suncorp but Ireland prevailed 26-21 at Melbourne's AAMI Park in the second Test to set up an intriguing decider.

Ireland then won 20-16 at Allianz Stadium to secure their first series success on Australian soil since 1979.

https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/ru...t-ng-s-1976886

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"The Sydney Cricket Ground is one of the most iconic venues in Australian sport

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It is, Raelene ... for cricket. That's why 'Cricket Ground' is in the name.

Iconic for rugby? Not so much.

The only reason rugby gets played there is when there's nowhere else.

Should have held it at Bankwest Stadium but I assume that:

1. That's too far for the Rugby types from the North Shore to travel
2. Rugby Australia will be hoping for a large amount of Irish to attend the Test to fill the ground.

The Wallabies will play seven tests in Australia in 2020.

Date	Who	Where
4 July	Ireland	Suncorp, Brisbane
11 July	Ireland	SCG, Sydney
TBA	Fiji (?)	TBA
8 August	New Zealand	Marvel, Melbourne
TBA	South Africa	TBA
TBA	Argentina	TBA
17 October	New Zealand	Suncorp, Brisbane

The ARU/RA may be chancing their arm in playing two Wallabies tests in Brisbane in the same year. In previous years when there have been two Wallabies tests held in Brisbane in the same year, between 45,000 and a full house (52,500) have shown up for one test but the second test sometimes is lucky to have just over half a house.
(2019 Argentina 31599, 2018 Ireland 46273, 2018 South Africa 27849, 2017 Italy 21849, 2017 NZ 45000, 2016 England 48735, 2016 South Africa 30327, 2015 South Africa 37633, 2014 France 33718, 2014 NZ 45186, 2013 Lions 52499, 2013 South Africa 43715, 2012 Wales 43000, 2012 NZ ?).

It might also be stretching the friendship with Rugby Union supporters in Sydney to hold two tests in the same year at the SCG.

Which leads to a couple of questions from mates on the North Shore.

1. Two tests will be played in Brisbane, plus one in Sydney and one in Melbourne. Are there any hints or guesses at where the other 3 tests will be played?
2. Apparently some of the denizens of the Moore Park bunker are warming to the idea of holding more Wallabies tests in Perth, following the success of the 2019 Bledisloe test at Optus Stadium and especially if there is another up-front payment of 5 million smackeroonies by the long suffering WA Taxpayers for the privilege of hosting a Wallabies test in Perth. Would the WA Government be stupid enough to hand over $5 million to the ARU/RA for another Wallabies test in Perth?

"Would the WA Government be stupid enough to hand over $5 million to the ARU/RA for another Wallabies test in Perth?"

If it were another Bledisloe they probably would. But looking at what's still TBA, they would be insane to chip in a single razoo. ZA would likely see the Craypot at least half empty. Los Pumas or Fiji at HBF would probably go OK. But not worth paying to make it happen.

In any event there would likely still be plenty of resistance to contributing to the current RA administration if they have the audacity to dig in. And it looks that way ATM.

I think the government should tell them to go f*** themselves for a prepayment. If they want to roll the dice on coining it by filling Optus, good luck to them. If Melbourne wants to throw something back into the kitty they are pillaging, good luck to them. Otherwise, they should whistle.

The crowds were dismal this year and after the WC schmizzle I reckon they’ll be lucky to get 2 men and a dog(aussies that is) the crowd will as usual be made up of Irish & kiwis. RA -completely unable to learn anything. Agree, stuff em and let go further down the insolvency hole!

That Fiji test will be played at BankWest Stadium.

Where the other two end up is anyone guess probably, I just hope our state government aren’t stupid enough to hand over cash to Rugby Australia to buy a Test.

For a laugh, I reckon the Force should host those teams in Perth as a warm-up series instead.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kiap

It is, Raelene ... for cricket. That's why 'Cricket Ground' is in the name.

Iconic for rugby? Not so much.

The only reason rugby gets played there is when there's nowhere else.

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It actually does have a history for the likes of Rugby and League prior to the construction of the SFS.

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Originally Posted by WCRugger

It actually does have a history for the likes of Rugby and League prior to the construction of the SFS.

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Lol. Do you think you are Moses bringing the Word down from on high?

Let me ask you something. Why do you think the Trust constructed the SFS?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WCRugger

It actually does have a history for the likes of Rugby and League prior to the construction of the SFS.

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Sure does. This old fart can still clearly remember being there on two historic pretty days.....

One Famous, as the Mighty Bulldogs stopped 12 straight for this mob in the 1967 preliminary final.....
Attachment 5489

And one infamous. Still vividly remember teachers trying in vain to stop half the senior school from leaving at lunchtime in my final year - and we weren't going to cheer the Waratahs against the Bokke.

Attachment 5490

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Originally Posted by Kiap

Lol. Do you think you are Moses bringing the Word down from on high?

Let me ask you something. Why do you think the Trust constructed the SFS?

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Still doesn't change the fact that the code does have a history at the ground.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kiap

Lol. Do you think you are Moses bringing the Word down from on high?

Let me ask you something. Why do you think the Trust constructed the SFS?

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Well the Sydney Sports Ground was on that site before the SFS was built. The NSWRL didn’t have their own ground and Concord backfired on the NSWRU. Concord was supposed to be Australian Rugby’s answer to Lansdowne Rd, etc but instead it sent NSW broke and they were bailed out by the ARU.

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Originally Posted by Bakkies

Well the Sydney Sports Ground was on that site before the SFS was built.

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Not quite. The sportsground (which was originally a speedway before it was used for suburban RL) was turned into a carpark. The SFS was built on the former SCG No 2.

http://i.imgur.com/yR7uDRo.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/EJ41cLV.jpg

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Originally Posted by Bakkies

The NSWRL didn’t have their own ground

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No kidding. But the correct answer is that the SCG was shit for rectangular sports.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bakkies

and Concord backfired on the NSWRU. Concord was supposed to be Australian Rugby’s answer to Lansdowne Rd, etc but instead it sent NSW broke and they were bailed out by the ARU.

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That didn't go belly up until after the SCG trust started the development and, indeed, after the SFS was opened.

In any event, the NSWRU was defrauded in the Concord development by their own executive director, Ken Elphick.

Nothing changes in the corrupt administration of Australian rugby, my friend. Up to three decades later rugby interests elsewhere were still being "surprised" when <ahem> financial irregularities involving property development resulted in millions of dollars transferring from the union to a third party.

https://www.rugby.com.au/news/2019/1...bledisloe-2020

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“Our Wallaby and Wallaroo double-header events in Australia have been extremely popular with fans in Sydney in Perth and we are looking forward to staging the first ever double-header in front of packed Marvel Stadium in Melbourne,” Castle said in a release.
“In 2019 we saw how much these events have captured the imagination of fans in both countries, with a sold-out sign at Optus Stadium in the west and again at Eden Park in Auckland a week later, and we expect there to be a lot of excitement in Melbourne to watch two fantastic Test matches.

Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula said they expected a strong crowd for the double header.

“Melbourne loves a big sporting event and the city has shown time and time again that it is a world class host. We can’t wait to get there in August next year,” he said in a release.

“Melbourne is the major events capital of Australia and the Bledisloe Cup certainly fits comfortably into that category.

“We’re excited to be welcoming the Bledisloe Cup to Victoria for the first time since 2010.

“Almost 30,000 people turned out at AAMI Park last year when the Wallabies hosted Ireland and we expect to top that at Marvel Stadium next August.”

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It will be an absolute f**king disgrace if all 53,359 seats for the Bledisloe match at Docklands aren't sold-out well before 8 August 2020.