The number of teams set to test the waters at the newly-built Western Sydney Stadium has grown, with the Waratahs today announcing they’ll play three home games at the venue next season.
The Waratahs will host the Sharks, Jaguares and Brumbies at the Parramatta venue next season, and will offer their fans a three-match membership deal that allows them to solely attend the Western Sydney matches.
In a press release, NSW Rugby CEO Andrew Hore said Western Sydney was one of the “fastest growing regions” for rugby in the state, and the decision to move games to the new ground would allow them to capitalise on this.
“It will hopefully further encourage more youngsters to take up the sport,” he said.
“The fact that we will be one of the first sports to play at the newly developed, state-of-the-art Western Sydney Stadium is a real opportunity for our fans and rugby participants in Western Sydney.
“We want to continue to grow and develop the sport in that area and the fact that the NSW Waratahs will play three matches there next year will certainly help us towards that goal,” he added.
Bankstown-born Waratahs prop Shambeckler Vui said the “opportunity to play at a brand new stadium not far from where [he] was born is awesome.”
“If our presence here can help more kids see what a great game rugby is and the chances you get through the sport, then I’ll be a happy man,” he added.
The Waratahs have previously played almost exclusively at the Sydney Football Stadium since the Super 12 began in 1996, occasionally taking some matches to Olympic Park’s ANZ Stadium.
They did, however, play trial matches at Campbelltown Stadium as recently as 2015.
Despite the comments by both Hore and Vui – as well as a glowing commendation by the minister for sport Stuart Ayres – there was no mention of whether this would be a multi-year deal.
The Waratahs also announced ticket prices for home games would remain unchanged.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Andrew Hore said “Western Sydney was one of the “fastest growing regions” for rugby in the state, and the decision to move games to the new ground would allow them to capitalise on this. “It will hopefully further encourage more youngsters to take up the sport,” he said.” This may be simple talk for a simple mob, so I don’t want to ridicule the efforts by Hore to explain the decision to ‘go west’. But many have been bleating for a Parramatta region venue for the Tahs for nearly a decade, for half a dozen obvious reasons. I wonder if the bolts that connect the Tahs to Moore Park have anything to do with relative (central?) proximity to Randwick, Easts, Sydney Uni, Mosman and Manly? Rugby needs fans and players. To grow the game go to where the fans and players are.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Crazy Horse, there are many over here in the east that have sympathy for the plight of the Force. Both for the fans who lost a team, but also for the national footprint, which is now limping after the amputation.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
Not everything is about Twiggy. NSWRU are in contract with the SCG trust who wanted to force them to play at the SCG. Due to the AFL draw and not providing clarity of availability of the ground in time it meant that NSWRU were able to take advantage of a clause that meant they could lock look elsewhere and take a different option if they did provide the dates required. This is a good move by the admin and a good move for Rugby in Sydney. Credit where credits due to Andrew Hore.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Oh well, lucky we still have Melbourne then!
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
Sydney stone motherless last in in the NRC. The days of NSW being the centre of the Australian Rugbyverse are over. Your only as good as your last performance. The last Waratahs performance against the Force was an 11-41 thrashing. In contrast after a slow start due to a major injury crisis the Force finished the 2017 season on fire with the same number of wins as the conference winners. If the East Coast vultures hadn’t destroyed that team would have been a serious contender this year. Western Australia is one third of Australia and is home to the third largest and fastest growing Rugby community in the country. No organisation or competition that does not include WA can claim to be truly national.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
It's a pretty hard comp to win, by any standard.
Rugger
Guest
It’s easy to say that but we’re talking about an organisation that was only too happy to tolerate a performance environment of mediocrity while bleeding the nurseries of NSW & QLD dry. Those in the West were more interested sticking their hand out rather than pitching in to provide a return on a considerable investment from the Eastern States. Apologies are overdue imo
KFar
Guest
While your comparing years in the comp versus wins: Tahs have been in the comp for 22 years and only won it once. That's not exactly great success is it.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Nah, fastest growing playing numbers in the country. Growth that had made it the third largest state union in Australia rather disproves your case. And regardless of the merit or not of RA's decision, your comment is a tasteless dig at a group that have had their side taken away. Does the spirit of rugby entail kicking a group of supporters while they are down? Certainly isn't the nature of the game I believe in.
Rugger
Guest
Better Western Sydney than a 5-hour flight away in Perth. Step 1 was getting rid of the Force. Step 2 will be eliminating the ‘politically correct’ option to play major tests (NZ, SAF, England etc) in WA which sacrifices home ground advantage. Perth deserves an NRC side and matches against the likes of Italy or a midweek Lions Tour warm up. Nothing more. 12 appalling seasons in Super Rugby has proven my case.
Birdy
Roar Rookie
I think I read somewhere the ingoals weren't big enough for RU. Is there anymore info about that.
RugbyChap
Guest
What! I'm not going to the wild west to watch my Tahs play! These westies have no class and don't understand the finer nuances of Rugby.
JSJ
Roar Rookie
I wonder if this would have happened if Twiggy had not shown interest in Western Sydney?
Paul D
Roar Rookie
Excellent! Lock me in for all 3!
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
How funny is it going to be if everyone apart from the el cheapo eels play at the stadium.