Australia will reportedly play Ireland next year in the first rugby Test at the SCG in 34 years.
The Wallabies will take on the 2018 Six Nations champions in the second match of their scheduled series at the hallowed venue on July 11, the Sydney Morning Herald says.
Australia have not competed in a Test match at the stadium since their 26-0 win over Argentina in July 1986.
With Allianz Stadium and ANZ Stadium undergoing renovations, Rugby Australia is said to have opted for the SCG’s 48,000-seat capacity in the hope of attracting a large crowd.
The ground has a storied rugby history, with Australia defeating Great Britain 13-3 in front of 28,000 people at the stadium’s first union international on June 24, 1899.
The first match of next year’s series will take place on July 4th at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
Ireland won the series 2-1 last year.
Australia claimed the first match 18-9 at Suncorp but Ireland prevailed 26-21 at Melbourne’s AAMI Park in the second Test to set up an intriguing decider.
Ireland won 20-16 at Allianz Stadium to secure their first series success on Australian soil since 1979.
Vam
Guest
Bit of a fantasy here but this is how I would host 2020 Wallabies home games. Vs Ireland at Optus Stadium Perth Vs Ireland at Adelaide Oval Vs Fiji at Nth Qld Stadium Townsville Vs NZ at Marvel Stadium Melbourne Vs South Africa at Bankwest Stadium Sydney Vs Argentina at Canberra Vs NZ at Suncorp Stadium Brisbane. Shares the love of games around the country. Plays them in the newest stadiums. Ireland came here in 2018 and played In Bris, Syd, Melb. Spreads the visiting teams around the nation.
Dean
Guest
The SCG will be full, but not with Wallabies supporters. There's a huge Irish expat/backpacker community in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. It's a big party opportunity for them. "Stadium viewing quality" is not even a consideration. Most of them will never have been to a rugby game before anyway. Expect a sea of green.
Derm
Roar Guru
Surprised there’s another series set up so soon after the last one. Should be an interesting development series for both squads. New head coaches, and some new faces mixed liberally amongst the remaining stalwarts. Ireland under Farrell will likely cut early thirties age group of Cronin, Healy, Jo Ryan, Toner, Sexton, Earls, Kearney from any end of year tour. Stander, O’Mahony, Aki, Murray, Roux, Herring are all 29/30 so may not feature in 2023, but some of them continue on contract until 2021. Scannell, McGrath, Porter, Furlong, Moore, Ryan, Henderson, Kleyn, Beirne, Ruddock, vdF, Leavy, Conan should be available for selection up front and McGrath, Marmion, Carbery, Carty, Byrne, Henshaw, C Farrell, Ringrose, Stockdale, Larmour, Conway, and Addison should be considered in the backs. With possible newbies such as Eric O’Sullivan, Ulster LH prop, Ryan Baird lock & R Kelleher hooker at Leinster, Caolin Blade, Connacht scrummie, and Haley, Munster FB added in amongst others. The Six Nations will shed some more light.
JamesDuncan
Roar Guru
Agree with the comments about the SCG. Poor venue to watch games on a rectangular field.
Big Dave
Roar Rookie
Great news unless you go to the game. Worst ground for viewing rugby I've ever been to.
Ex force fan
Guest
There are more Kiwis in Sydney than Perth, however they don’t want to pay to watch the AB play at the SCG. Dumb not to build on the 2019 success and work Twiggy is doing, but dumb is par for RA. Raelene made no change.
AJ
Guest
Not to mention that the turf completely gave way for every scrum.
AndyS
Guest
Ah well, a great opportunity for Sydney to demonstrate why they are considered the heartland of the game. ;)
Micko
Roar Rookie
Perth is flooded with kiwis so it was inevitably going to sell out in no time. It has the record because they used temporary seating on the ground itself that the rugby league and soccer didn't use for some reason. The AFL would probably hold the ground attendance record except due to the capacity constraints it has.
Micko
Roar Rookie
The AFL doesn't have any jurisdiction at the SCG.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
Yep. Really looking forward to watching this game. Ireland V Australia, in Sydney. Fantastic! But since I actually want watch it, I'll be in front of the telly at home.
Jockstar
Guest
Good luck getting a crowd
Objective
Guest
Another "brilliant" decision from the North Shore/Eastern Suburbs - centric RA morons. The SR games held at the SCG in 2019 were diabolical. Couldn't see, no atmosphere. They base their decision on what - the Samoa Test? Despite being a Rugby tragic, I was at Bankwest last Saturday night for the A-League Sydney derby, for reasons I won't go into. It was brilliant. Great crowd, great atmosphere at a fantastic venue. The fan engagement was superb. But the same people who travelled to Japan for the RWC can't be effed going to Parramatta. Any wonder Rugby has issues....
Fionn
Guest
Yeah, I agree James. He's a quality player, but just one of many 6/8s competing for spots. He offers a lot of good attributes.
jameswm
Roar Guru
I don't see how Dempsey is a proven dud
Discrete Pete
Guest
I was at the Reds vs Tahs game too and I was really disappointed in the overall game experience mainly because I could hardly see the action. Like nearly everyone sitting nearby, I turned away from the field to catch the action on the big screen. Would have been cheaper and better to stay home. Saw the Tahs vs the Brumbies in Canberra the following week and it was night and day in a positive way. The SCG is fine for cricket and I guess for AFL but it’s just terrible for Rugby.
Ex force fan
Guest
It takes a special kind of stupid to take a risk on the SCG and ignore the successes you had when Optus stadium sold out in three days for a rugby test. Rugby still holds the attendance record at the stadium. Optus stadium is a great venue and experience for supporters, a sure money spinners and there is no greater home ground advantage to play a test in a city you have never lost a test. Dumb decision!
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
Well that's a bad decision. SCG is a poor venue for paying fans to watch a rugby game. Crowd is too far away from the action on an oval shaped ground imo
Gav
Guest
And proven duds Hanigan Dempsey Robertson and Beale not involved at all.
Machooka
Roar Guru
Totally agree Paul... this is a stitch-up to basically satisfy the SCG members! But... even for those 'members' it's still a joke as you can't get close enough to see the action on field. I was taken/ invited by a 'member' (an old buddy) to watch da Tahs play QUEENSLAND earlier in the year, and apart from the company, food, drink and facilities at hand, I wished we had just watched it at his place on the big TV! :crying: