Rugby Park Stadium
| 'Roaring pen' | |
Rugby Park Invercargill as seen from the main stand, Swimming complex in background.
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| Former names | Homestead Stadium |
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| Location | Invercargill, New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 46°25′1″S 168°21′46″E / 46.41694°S 168.36278°ECoordinates: 46°25′1″S 168°21′46″E / 46.41694°S 168.36278°E |
| Owner | Invercargill City Council |
| Operator | Southland Rugby Union |
| Capacity | 20,000 |
| Field size | 115m x 50m 18 000pax |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1886 (Cricket pitch) |
| Opened | 2002 (Stand Refurbishment/Light Tower installation) |
| Tenants | |
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Southland Rugby Football Union Spirit FC Highlanders |
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Rugby Park Stadium is a rugby union venue and home ground for ITM Cup team Southland. Rugby Park Stadium is located on the corner of Elles Road and Tweed Street in Invercargill. The ground has a regular season capacity of 18 000. It has a safe temporary seating maximum capacity of 20,000 (although in former incarnations has accommodated up to 30,000 with large grass banks and concreted standing terraces). An agreement with the Invercargill City Council saw surplus land on the ground used to build the city's new Swimming Complex. The pitch was moved geographically towards the main stand, squared off to Rugby field dimensions (originally a quasi-cricket ground), with all weather seating installed. The Pitch itself was also weather proofed with a new high volume drainage system installed.
The main stand was fully rebuilt in 2002 with better player facilities and corporate boxes. Floodlighting towers to full HDMI TV standards were also installed. Temporary seating was added in 2010 for the 2010 ITM Cup this allowed a crowd of just on 20 000 to attend the first major defence of the Ranfurly Shield against Otago on 7 August, this seating remained in place until the Rugby World Cup games in 2011.
Rugby Park is owned by the Southland Outdoor Stadium Trust, but it is looking likely the Invercargill City Council will take it over.
The Highlanders play occasionally at Rugby Park drawing large crowds. The football (soccer) team Spirit FC also play at Rugby Park Stadium. Many local events are held at rugby park as well.
Rugby Park hosted one minor pool game during the inaugural 1987 Rugby World Cup, Wales verses Canada.
In the 2011 Rugby World Cup, Rugby Park hosted three pool play games (Romania-Scotland, Georgia-Scotland and Argentina-Romania).
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