New Perth Stadium to host Bledisloe Cup Test in 2019

The new Perth Stadium will play host to Western Australia’s first ever Bledisloe Cup match with the announcement that the Wallabies and New Zealand will clash at the new 60,000-capacity Western Australian venue in 2019.

The 2019 Rugby Championship fixture will be the only Bledisloe Cup Test played in Australia that year before the two countries embark on their Rugby World Cup campaign in Japan.

Announcing the fixture yesterday (7th December), Australian Rugby Union Chief Executive Bill Pulver stated “we are very proud to be bringing Western Australia its first ever Bledisloe Cup Test and are very grateful for the support of the WA Government, through Tourism Western Australia, which has enabled us to make this historic match a reality.

“The 2019 Bledisloe Cup match will be one of the first major events played at the new Perth Stadium after its completion in 2018.

“It will also be a vital clash for both teams, being their one and only clash in The Rugby Championship that year, on the eve of the Rugby World Cup.”

Calling the fixture “international rugby union’s greatest rivalry”, Perth Stadium Chief Executive Mike McKenna believes will help set the tone for sporting excellence at the new Perth Stadium.

Congratulating the Western Australian Government on securing the fixture, McKenna stated “the new Perth Stadium is coming to life and securing a Bledisloe Cup Test match between the Qantas Wallabies and the New Zealand All Blacks is fantastic news for Western Australia.

“Everyone who follows world-class sport has their favourite Bledisloe Cup moments, and I’m sure rugby fans across Australia and New Zealand – and further afield – will want to be in WA when sporting history unfolds at Perth Stadium.

“As excitement builds toward the opening of the magnificent Perth Stadium, the Government of Western Australia through Tourism WA has now secured for 2019 a State of Origin rugby league match between NSW and Queensland and a Bledisloe Cup Test match between the Wallabies and the All Blacks.

“The professional sporting codes are looking to bring their biggest events to Perth, which is going to host premium sport and entertainment events in a truly world-class facility that the people of Western Australia are going to be immensely proud of.”

The Tourism Council WA has welcomed Perth’s hosting of the event, anticipating that it will deliver an anticipated $10 million in expenditure from interstate and international visitors, particularly from Sydney, Brisbane and New Zealand.

Tourism Council WA Chief Executive van Hall said hosting the event would draw around 10,000 interstate and international visitors, particularly from New Zealand, stating “securing a Bledisloe Cup match in Perth will draw thousands of diehard rugby union fans from the east coast and overseas, who will spend an anticipated $10 million in WA’s shops, hotels, bars, restaurants, taxis, venues and attractions.”

With some of the match tickets made available for packaging with other tourism experiences, Hall expects that regional Western Australia will also benefit from the influx of visitors.

He added “by packaging tickets to the Bledisloe Cup with flights, accommodation, transport and other experiences, visitors will be encouraged to stay longer and explore more of WA, dispersing their expenditure around the State.

“Hotel occupancy is traditionally low in Perth in winter, and we have around 2,000 new hotel rooms under construction. This means we will have affordable, high-quality hotel rooms to accommodate the additional visitors.”

Perth hosted its first Rugby Test in 1998 when the Wallabies lost to the Springboks 14-13 at Domain Stadium. The city has played host to 15 Wallabies Tests in total, with the most recent being the 2016 Rugby Championship clash with Argentina at nib Stadium in July, won 36-20 by Australia.

The date for the 2019 Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Test between the Qantas Wallabies and New Zealand at Perth Stadium will be confirmed in the coming year.

Images: Construction work advancing on the new Perth Stadium (top) and the Bledisloe Cup (below).

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