Rugby Park Stadium

For other Rugby Parks, see Rugby Park (disambiguation).

Rugby Park Stadium
'Roaring pen'
Rugby Park Invercargill as seen from the main stand, Swimming complex in background.
Former names	Homestead Stadium
Location	Invercargill, New Zealand
Coordinates	46°25′1″S 168°21′46″E
Broke ground	1886 (Cricket pitch)
Opened	2002 (Stand Refurbishment/Light Tower installation)
Owner	Invercargill City Council
Operator	Southland Rugby Union
Surface	Grass
Field dimensions	115m x 50m 18 000pax
Tenants
Southland Rugby Football Union Spirit FC Highlanders

Rugby Park Stadium is a rugby union venue and home ground for ITM Cup team Southland. Rugby Park Stadium is located on the corner of Elles Road and Tweed Street in Invercargill. The gound has a regular season capacity of 18 000. It has a safe temporary seating maximum capacity of 20,000 (although in former incarnations has accommodated up to 30,000 with large grass banks and concreted standing terraces). An agreement with the Invercargill City Council saw surplus land on the ground used to build the city's new Swimming Complex. The pitch was moved geographically towards the main stand, squared off to Rugby field dimensions (originally a quasi-cricket ground), with all weather seating installed. The Pitch itself was also weather proofed with a new high volume drainage system installed.

The main stand was fully rebuilt in 2002 with better player facillities and corporate boxes. Floodlighting towers to full HDMI TV standards were also installed. Temporary seating was added in 2010 for the 2010 ITM Cup this allowed a crowd of just on 20 000 to attend the first major defence of the Ranfurly Shield against Otago on August 7, this seating remained in place until the Rugby World Cup games in 2011.

Invercargill City Council has taken over ownership of the ground since 2004 with the Southland Rugby Football Union as main tennant.

The Highlanders play occasionally at Rugby Park drawing large crowds. The football (soccer) team Spirit FC also play at Rugby Park Stadium. Many local events are held at rugby park as well.

In 2011, the Southland Rugby League was refused use of Rugby Park Stadium by the Southland Rugby Football Union. Southland Rugby League had proposed to hold their club final there on 19 June.

World Cup History

Rugby Park hosted one minor pool game during the inaugrial 1987 Rugby World Cup, Wales verses Canada.

In the 2011 Rugby World Cup, Rugby Park hosted three pool play games (Romania-Scotland, Georgia-Scotland and Argentina-Romania).

Future Development

Continuing development is planned for the gound which includes redeveloping the east end embankment and extending the main stand to the end of the east try-line. There are also plans to remove the score board building at the Ellis Rd end and build a new open 'students' stand with a modern digital screen. The city council wishes the ground to become a multi-use facility so to allow it to gather revenue all year round. There has been friction between the two Rugby codes as mentioned earlier over the right to use the ground. However, Football has made a welcome addition to the facility with matches played by Southland Spirit FC catered for. Demonstration American Football games have also made an appearance. The fast moving Rugby Sevens and Rugby Touch tournaments are regular events at the ground.