Waratahs to play Super Rugby Pacific home fixtures at Sydney’s Leichhardt Oval home after Manly refusal

The NSW Waratahs will play the bulk of their home games in the upcoming Super Rugby Pacific tournament as Sydney’s Leichhardt Oval after their use of Manly’s 4 Pines Park was refused.

In what will be the club’s final season away from their Moore Park base, with the new Sydney Football Stadium scheduled to open later this year, the Waratahs have announced they'll play five of their seven home games at the traditional home of rugby league’s Wests Tigers.

However, it has been reported the Waratahs wanted to take some home games to Brookvale Oval, but the Northern Beaches Council didn’t want to stage the games, telling NSW Rugby the venue was unavailable.

The Manly Sea Eagles home ground, traditionally known as Brookvale Oval, is currently being redeveloped, with a new 3000-seat grandstand nearing completion and upgraded playing surface, due to be ready prior to the 2022 NRL season.

The Waratahs have attracted some of their largest and most passionate crowds to the Northern Beaches venue, with two games prior to the pandemic both attracting more than 15,000 spectators.

The remaining two home games for the Waratahs will be split between CommBank Stadium and the Sydney Cricket Ground. In their three seasons away from the Sydney Football Stadium, games have also been played at Newcastle’s McDonald Jones Stadium, Wollongong’s WIN Stadium and Accor Stadium at Sydney Olympic Park.

Travel restrictions between Australia and New Zealand due to COVID-19 have led to a reshuffle of the inaugural Super Rugby Pacific competition, with Australian sides now set to face each other during the opening nine rounds.

Western Australia’s strict border controls have also meant the Western Force have swapped home games with the Perth-based franchise unable to welcome teams at the city’s HBF Park.

This means the Brumbies will now host the Force at Canberra’s GIO Stadium during the opening round.

The first ever Super Round will now be played on Anzac Day weekend of 22nd to 24th April, with all 12 teams to converge on Melbourne to take part in three double-headers at AAMI Park.

Crossover games will then follow in subsequent rounds.