Okara Park facts for kids
| Location | Whangarei, New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 35°44′3″S 174°19′46″E / 35.73417°S 174.32944°E |
| Capacity | 30,000 |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1965 |
| Renovated | 2008 |
| Tenants | |
| Northland Rugby Union (1965–present) Northern Swords |
|
Okara Park, also known as Semenoff Stadium, is a large sports ground in Whangarei, New Zealand. It's a "multi-purpose stadium," meaning it can be used for many different sports and events. It is mostly used for exciting rugby union matches. It is the home field for the Northland Rugby Union team. This stadium can hold about 18,500 people and was first built in 1965.
Contents
Stadium Upgrades
The stadium got a big upgrade recently, costing about $16 million. A new main stand, called the Northland Events Centre, was built. This made Okara Park a central place for many different sports in the Northland area.
Record-Breaking Crowds
Even though Okara Park usually holds about 18,500 people, it once had a much larger crowd! In 1979, about 40,000 people squeezed into the stadium. This happened during a rugby union match where the local team, North Auckland, was defending the important Ranfurly Shield against Auckland. The stadium's large grassy hills (called embankments) helped fit so many fans.
Famous Matches
Okara Park has hosted many important national and international games.
Rugby League Games
- In 1996, the New Zealand Māori rugby league team played against the Great Britain Lions here. The New Zealand Māori team won with a score of 40–28.
- On November 1, 2014, the stadium held its first international rugby league game. New Zealand played against Samoa as part of the 2014 Rugby League Four Nations tournament. New Zealand won a close game, 14–12.
Rugby Union Games
- In 1998, the New Zealand Māori rugby union team played the Tongan national side. The Māori team won convincingly, 66–7.
- Okara Park has also hosted games between the Northland team and touring international teams. These include the famous British & Irish Lions, and national teams from Tonga, Samoa, and Fiji.
- In 2010, the stadium was part of the New Zealand Māori Rugby centenary series. The New Zealand Māori team played the New Zealand Barbarians. This game was like a practice match for the All Blacks.
- The stadium was chosen as a venue for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. It hosted two group stage matches: Tonga vs. Canada and Tonga vs. Japan.
- On June 3, 2017, the 2017 British & Irish Lions started their tour in New Zealand at Okara Park. They won their first game against the New Zealand Barbarians 13–7.
See also
In Spanish: Okara Park para niños
