Yarrow Stadium facts for kids
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'The Bull Ring'
'The Fish Bowl' |
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| Full name | Stadium Taranaki |
|---|---|
| Former names | Rugby Park, Yarrow Stadium |
| Location | New Plymouth, New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 39°4′13″S 174°3′54″E / 39.07028°S 174.06500°E |
| Capacity | 30,000 (30,345 with standing room) |
| Surface | Grass with sand base |
| Scoreboard | Located at the southern end of the ground |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | January 1931 |
| Built | 10 June 1947 (Renovated 18 July 2002) |
| Opened | August 1972 |
| Construction cost | NZ$15 million |
| Architect | Warren and Mahoney |
| Tenants | |
| Chiefs (Super Rugby) Hurricanes (Super Rugby) (1996-2013) Taranaki Rugby Football Union (ITM Cup) Team Taranaki (Central Premier League) Taranaki Sharks (NZRL) Central Districts Stags (NZC) |
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Stadium Taranaki is a famous sports ground in New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand. It's known for hosting exciting rugby games and other big events. In 2009, New Zealand Rugby World magazine even called it the third-best rugby stadium in the world!
The stadium is home to the Taranaki Rugby Football Union team. This team plays in New Zealand's main rugby union competition, the National Provincial Championship. Since 2013, the stadium has also hosted the Chiefs team for their games.
Contents
Stadium History and Upgrades
The stadium started as a rugby ground in 1931. The first main stadium was finished in 1947. Over the years, new stands were built, and older ones were taken down. In 1998, four tall floodlight towers were added for night events.
A big upgrade happened in 2002. Two new grandstands were added, and many parts of the stadium were made more modern. More improvements were completed in 2010. These changes increased the stadium's capacity to over 25,500 people. This was important for the 2011 Rugby World Cup and other major events.
The stadium was a special project for Noel Yarrow, a local baker and generous businessman. He loved rugby, and the main grandstand on the western side is named after him.
Earthquake Repairs
In 2017 and 2018, parts of the stadium were found to be unsafe in an earthquake. This meant that spectators could not sit in the main grandstands. Rugby games still happened, but people had to watch from the ends of the field. Temporary facilities were set up for players and staff.
In May 2019, the owners decided to fix both grandstands. The goal was to make them safe and meet earthquake rules. The East Stand was taken down in 2020 and replaced with a new one. The West Stand was also repaired and strengthened. The West Stand was finished in 2023, and the new East Stand opened in April 2025.
What's Inside Stadium Taranaki?
Stadium Taranaki has four sports fields and many rooms for different events. The main field has a special grass surface with irrigation and drains. It has two grandstands with covered seating, plus uncovered seating and standing areas.
The stadium also has a full sound system, a large electronic scoreboard, and bright floodlights. Other fields have training lights. Car parks are located behind the TSB Bank on the eastern side. In 2009, the stadium received a $1.5 million upgrade for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. This added more seats and improved media areas.
The Legends Lounge
The Legends Lounge is on the top floor of the TSB Bank Stand. It offers amazing views of the sports fields. This lounge is used for business meetings, dinners, and presentations. It can hold up to 300 people seated or 650 standing.
The lounge has its own sound system, power outlets, and data points. There is also a portable stage. You can reach the lounge by stairs or a lift. It has two kitchens, bars, and toilets, so it can be split into smaller areas for different events.
Behind the Scenes: Players and Media
The stadium has special areas for players and media. There are two main changing rooms for teams, each with a warm-up room. Five smaller changing rooms are available for other teams and referees.
A medical room, drug testing room, and media interview room are also located here. The main office for the Taranaki Rugby Football Union is at the stadium. It includes offices and a gym.
Media facilities are in the western grandstand. There's a camera lounge and special boxes for TV, radio, and commentators. A big screen is at the southern end of the field. Sometimes, an extra screen is brought in for events.
Exciting Events at the Stadium
Stadium Taranaki has hosted many different events over the years.
Motorcycle Stunt Shows
In February 2007, about 8,000 people watched the Crusty Demons Kiwi Carnage Tour. Twelve motorcycle riders performed amazing back-flips and stunts. The Crusty Demons returned in March 2009 for their Unleashed Hell Tour. About 6,500 people saw six riders perform stunts, including a dangerous double back-flip.
Nitro Circus
On February 12, 2017, the Nitro Circus team put on a spectacular show. Around 30 motocross, BMX, and scooter riders performed incredible stunts. They used huge ramps, including the 15-meter-high Gigantor Ramp. Riders launched themselves into the air on motorbikes, scooters, and even a couch! Some audience members even got to join in the show.
Other Events
The stadium has also hosted events like Relay for Life and the Multi-ethnic Extravaganza. It has also held several cricket matches, including games for the Central Districts and even a match against Sri Lanka.
Rugby Action
Stadium Taranaki is a major venue for rugby. It has hosted:
- Seven international test matches since 2008.
- 17 Super Rugby matches, featuring the Hurricanes (1996–2013) and the Chiefs (since 2014).
- Many Taranaki rugby games in the ITM Cup and National Provincial Championship. This includes the 2014 ITM Cup final.
| Date | Team No. 1 | Res. | Team No. 2 | Sport | Attendance | Notes |
| Internationals | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-06-17 |  New Zealand Māori |
18–15 |  Scotland |
Rugby union | – | 2000 Scotland tour |
| 2003-06-09 | New Zealand Māori |
9–23 |  England |
Rugby union | 20,000 | 2003 England tour |
| 2006-06-17 |  Samoa |
53–9 |  Japan |
Rugby union | 4,200 | 2006 IRB Pacific 5 Nations |
| 2006-06-17 |  Junior All Blacks |
38–10 |  Tonga |
Rugby union | 4,200 | 2006 IRB Pacific 5 Nations |
| 2008-09-03 | New Zealand |
101–14 | Samoa |
Rugby union | 22,518 | 2008 Samoa tour |
| 2010-06-12 | New Zealand |
66–28 |  Ireland |
Rugby union | 25,064 | 2010 Ireland tour |
| 2011-09-11 | Ireland |
22–10 |  United States |
Rugby union | 20,823 | 2011 Rugby World Cup Pool C match |
| 2011-09-15 |  Russia |
6–13 | United States |
Rugby union | 13,931 | 2011 Rugby World Cup Pool C match |
| 2011-09-26 |  Wales |
81–7 |  Namibia |
Rugby union | 13,710 | 2011 Rugby World Cup Pool D match |
| 2013-06-22 | New Zealand |
24–9 |  France |
Rugby union | 23,300 | 2013 France tour |
| NRL | ||||||
| 2005-02-13 | New Zealand Warriors | 20–10 | Parramatta Eels | Rugby league | 9,500 | 2005 NRL pre-season |
| 2016-05-21 | New Zealand Warriors | 12–38 | Canberra Raiders | Rugby league | 12,833 | 2016 NRL season round 9 |
| Historic | ||||||
| 1950-07-08 | Taranaki | 3–25 | British Lions | Rugby union | – | 1950 British Lions tour |
| 1959-08-08 | Taranaki | 3–15 | British Lions | 1959 British Lions tour | – | 1959 British Lions tour |
| 1966-07-02 | Taranaki | 9–12 | British Lions | Rugby union | – | 1966 British Lions tour |
| 1971-07-03 | Taranaki | 9–14 | British Lions | Rugby union | – | 1971 British Lions tour |
| 1977-05-28 | Taranaki | 13–21 | British Lions | Rugby union | – | 1977 British Lions tour |
| 1993-06-16 | Taranaki | 25–49 | British Lions | Rugby union | – | 1993 British Lions tour |
| 2005-06-08 | Taranaki | 14–36 | British & Irish Lions | Rugby union | 22,000 | 2005 British & Irish Lions tour |
| 2008-10-12 | All Golds | 44–10 | New Zealand Māori | Rugby league | – | 2008 Rugby League World Cup pre-season |
| 2014-10-25 | Taranaki | 36–32 | Tasman | Rugby union | 21,000 | 2014 ITM Cup premiership final |
Rugby World Cup 2011 Matches
Stadium Taranaki hosted three important matches during the 2011 Rugby World Cup. For the World Cup, the stadium was temporarily called Stadium Taranaki.
| Date | Team No. 1 | Res. | Team No. 2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-09-11 | Ireland |
22–10 | United States |
Pool C | 20,823 |
| 2011-09-15 | Russia |
6–13 | United States |
Pool C | 13,931 |
| 2011-09-26 | Wales |
81–7 | Namibia |
Pool D | 13,710 |
Other Sports Played Here
Cricket Matches
While Pukekura Park is the usual cricket ground in New Plymouth, Stadium Taranaki has hosted cricket matches too. It held first-class games in 1998 and 1999. In 2004, it even hosted a one-day match between Central Districts and Sri Lanka. In 2015, the stadium was used for the finals of the Georgie Pie Super Smash competition.
Rugby League Games
On May 21, 2016, Stadium Taranaki was the home ground for the New Zealand Warriors. They played against the Canberra Raiders in a National Rugby League game. Over 12,000 fans came to watch the Warriors, but they lost to the Raiders 38–12.
Football (Soccer) Games
The stadium also hosted football matches. It was called Stadium Taranaki for the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup. It hosted Group E games and a knockout match between Brazil and Uruguay.
On February 4, 2017, the Wellington Phoenix played against the Western Sydney Wanderers. The Wanderers won the A-League match 3–1.
See also
In Spanish: Estadio Yarrow para niños
