Carisbrook facts for kids
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The House of Pain
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| Location | Dunedin, New Zealand |
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| Coordinates | 45°53′37″S 170°29′26″E / 45.89361°S 170.49056°E |
| Owner | Carisbrook Ground Company |
| Operator | Carisbrook Ground Company |
| Capacity | 29,000 |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1881 |
| Opened | 1883 |
| Closed | 2011 |
| Demolished | Starting 2013 |
| Tenants | |
| Otago Rugby Football Union Highlanders (Super 14) (1996–2011) |
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| Ground information | |
| End names | |
| Railway End Hillside End |
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| International information | |
| First Test | 11–16 March 1955: New Zealand v  England |
| Last Test | 18–22 December 1998: New Zealand v  India |
| First ODI | 30 March 1974: New Zealand v  Australia |
| Last ODI | 25 February 2004: New Zealand v  South Africa |
| First women's Test | 17–21 March 1961: New Zealand v Australia |
| Last women's Test | 8–12 January 1977: New Zealand v India |
| Only WODI | 13 February 1999: New Zealand v South Africa |
| As of 1 September 2020 Source: ESPNcricinfo |
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Carisbrook was a famous sports ground in Dunedin, New Zealand. It was mostly known for rugby union games, both local and international. But people also played cricket, football, rugby league, and even had motocross races there. In 1922, Carisbrook held the first international football match between Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand won that exciting game 3–1! Famous singer Joe Cocker even performed there once. The stadium also hosted many concerts before rugby matches in the 1990s. Carisbrook closed in 2011. It was replaced by Forsyth Barr Stadium for rugby and University Oval for cricket.
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Carisbrook's History and Nickname
Carisbrook was located at the bottom of a steep valley called The Glen. It was near the main railway line and the Hillside Railway Workshops. The stadium was about two miles southwest of Dunedin's city centre. It was in the suburb of Caversham.
The stadium got its name from an early settler's estate, James Macandrew. His estate was named after Carisbrooke Castle in England. Carisbrook started being used for international cricket in 1883. It hosted its first international rugby games in 1908.
Since the 1990s, the stadium had floodlights for night games. Locals often called it "The Brook." It also earned the nickname "The House of Pain." This was because visiting rugby teams often found it very hard to win there.
Home to Rugby Teams
Carisbrook was the home ground for two major rugby teams. These were the Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition. It was also home to Otago in the ITM Cup. Both teams played their last seasons there in 2011. The stadium also hosted 38 All Blacks (New Zealand's national rugby team) test matches.
Other Sports Played at Carisbrook
Carisbrook was once the home of the Otago cricket team. This team moved to the University Oval in the early 2000s. Between 1884 and 2008, Carisbrook hosted 252 important cricket matches. This included 10 Test cricket matches between 1955 and 1998.
It was also the home ground for Otago United, a football team. They moved to a smaller stadium called Sunnyvale Park for the 2008–09 season.
Stadium Stands and Atmosphere
Carisbrook could usually hold about 30,000 people. But with extra temporary seats, it once had a crowd of 42,000! Until 1998, people could watch games for free from the nearby motorway. This spot was even called the "Scotsman's Grandstand." Sometimes, trains would slow down on the tracks above the stadium. This let passengers watch the games too. But in 1998, a new stand was built that blocked this view.
Dunedin has many university students. This helped create a special atmosphere at Carisbrook. The "terraces" were a big, uncovered concrete area at one end of the ground. They added to the stadium's unique feel.
Carisbrook's Retirement and What Happened Next
In 2006, there was a plan to close Carisbrook. A new, covered stadium for 30,000 people was proposed. This new stadium, called Forsyth Barr Stadium at University Plaza, was built in North Dunedin. It is close to other sports places like Logan Park.
The All Blacks played their last official test match against a "Tier 1" nation at Carisbrook on June 19, 2010. They played against Wales and won 42–9. This game meant the All Blacks had played every major test-playing nation at Carisbrook. The very last test match at the ground was on July 22, 2011. The All Blacks played Fiji to raise money for the Christchurch earthquake appeal.
On May 11, 2011, the Dunedin City Council decided to sell Carisbrook. Demolition work started in early 2012. The tall floodlight towers were taken down. They were sent to Christchurch to be used at a new temporary rugby stadium. This helped Christchurch have a top-class ground while their main stadium was rebuilt. The corporate box stand, which was only 14 years old, was designed to be moved. Parts of it were moved to University Oval and some to Queenstown's Stadium. The old turnstile building on Neville Street is a protected historic building. It will be kept safe during any future building on the site.
Important Moments at Carisbrook
- 1884 February 2: The first big cricket match at Carisbrook, Otago played against Tasmania.
- 1908 June 30: The first Rugby Test match at Carisbrook, New Zealand played against Anglo-Welsh.
- 1922 June 17: New Zealand played its first full international football (soccer) match. They beat Australia 3–1.
- 1955 March 11: The first cricket Test match at Carisbrook, New Zealand played against England.
- 1987 May–June: Carisbrook hosted games for the 1987 Rugby World Cup.
- 1992 March 12: A Cricket World Cup match was held there, New Zealand played against India.
- 1993 July: A rugby match between New Zealand and Australia had the largest crowd ever at the ground, with 42,000 people.
- 1996 March 3: The first Super 12 match at Carisbrook, the Otago Highlanders played against Queensland.
- 1999 May 29: The 1999 Super 12 Final was played there, Highlanders against Crusaders.
- 2011 July 22: The All Blacks played their final test match at Carisbrook, beating Fiji 60–14. This game raised money for earthquake relief.
- 2012 January: Work began to take down the stadium, starting with the floodlight towers.
See also
In Spanish: Carisbrook para niños
- Forsyth Barr Stadium at University Plaza
- The Edgar Centre
- Logan Park, Dunedin
- University Oval, Dunedin
- List of Test cricket grounds
