Rotorua International Stadium facts for kids
| "The Hangi Pit" | |
| Location | Devon Street West, Rotorua, New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 38°9′21″S 176°13′27″E / 38.15583°S 176.22417°E |
| Capacity | Rugby: 26,000 Concerts: 30,000 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1911 |
| Tenants | |
| Bay of Plenty Rugby Union Rotorua United Chiefs |
|
The Rotorua International Stadium is a big sports ground in Rotorua, New Zealand. It's mostly used for rugby union and rugby league games. It's one of the main places where the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union team plays.
This stadium can hold up to 26,000 people. It was first built in 1911 and has been updated many times since then. There's a covered area that can seat about 5,000 fans. There's also a special field for softball at one end of the stadium.
Contents
Rugby Union Games
The Rotorua International Stadium has hosted many important rugby union matches. It was used for a game in the 1987 Rugby World Cup. It has also seen international "Test matches" and games involving the famous British and Irish Lions team. Many people think it's the true home of rugby in the Bay of Plenty region.
Rugby League Matches
This stadium has also been the site for four big rugby league Test matches.
- On July 16, 1989, the Australian team beat New Zealand 8–0. About 26,000 fans watched this game.
- Seven years later, on October 5, 1996, New Zealand won against Papua New Guinea with a score of 62–8.
- On October 14, 2009, New Zealand beat Tonga 42–24.
- The last rugby league international game here was on October 30, 2010. New Zealand defeated Papua New Guinea 76–12. This game was part of the 2010 Rugby League Four Nations tournament.
2011 Rugby World Cup
The stadium was chosen to host three matches during the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
- The first game was on September 10, 2011. Fiji won against Namibia 49–25. About 10,100 people were there.
- The second game saw Samoa beat Namibia 49–12. Over 12,700 fans watched this match.
- The final World Cup game at the stadium was between Ireland and Russia. Ireland won 62–12, with nearly 25,700 fans cheering them on.
Rugby League Test Matches Table
Here is a list of rugby league Test and World Cup matches played at Rotorua International Stadium.
| Test# | Date | Result | Attendance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 July 1989 | Australia  def.  New Zealand 8–0 |
26,000 | Played as part of the 1989 Trans-Tasman Test series |
| 2 | 5 October 1996 | New Zealand  def.  Papua New Guinea 62–8 |
4,800 | |
| 3 | 14 October 2009 | New Zealand def.  Tonga 42–24 |
8,000 | |
| 4 | 30 October 2010 | New Zealand def.  Papua New Guinea 76–12 |
6,000 | Played as part of the 2010 Four Nations |
See also
- In Spanish: Estadio Internacional de Rotorua para niños
