Queensland gets spoils of Rugby Championship fixtures

Mon, Nov 27, 2017, 12:20 AM
Sam Phillips
by Sam Phillips
The Suncorp Stadium crowd was raucous in the Brisbane Bledisloe. Photo: RUGBY.com.au/Stuart Walmsley
The Suncorp Stadium crowd was raucous in the Brisbane Bledisloe. Photo: RUGBY.com.au/Stuart Walmsley

Queenslanders will get two chances to watch the Wallabies up close in next year's Rugby Championship, with Brisbane and Gold Coast to host two of the three home Tests.

The Wallabies will open their Bledisloe Cup campaign against the All Blacks at ANZ Stadium on August 18, with Suncorp Stadium the scene for their showdown with the Springboks, on September 8.

Test rugby will then return to Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast for the first time since 2014 when Argentina come to town on September 15.Two chances to mingle with the Wallabies for Queenslanders. Photo: RUGBY.com.au/Stuart Walmsley"The Rugby Championship continues to grow in its stature as the toughest international series in the world and once again Australian Rugby fans have three huge home Tests on their plate in 2018," Rugby Australia CEO Bill Pulver said.

"Our experienced leaders and a number of emerging stars stood up for the Wallabies in 2017, leading the team on an undefeated run on the final four matches of the series.

"At the end of the Rugby Championship, the final Bledisloe Cup Test was a memorable one last season, not only for the result, but because of the historic occasion of the Wallabies becoming the first national team to play in an Indigenous jersey.
The Wallabies haven't played at the Gold Coast since 2014. Photo: Getty Images"I’m sure that late run in The Rugby Championship and the final Bledisloe Cup match has created plenty of anticipation for Wallabies fans ahead of the 2018 season and we are looking forward to seeing plenty of them out in gold, getting loud and proud at our Rugby Championship matches in Sydney and Queensland."

Tourism and Events Queensland CEO Leanne Coddington welcomed the decision to take two of the Rugby Championship home Tests to the sunshine state.

"Tourism in Brisbane, Gold Coast and the south-east corner are set to benefit from the flow-on effects of these two major sporting events," she said.

"The Wallabies matches form part of a blockbuster line-up of events staged in Queensland as part of the 2018 It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar, spearheaded by the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in April."

FIXTURES

2018 Wallabies Rugby Championship home fixtures

Qantas Wallabies v New Zealand, Saturday 18 August, ANZ Stadium, Sydney

Qantas Wallabies v South Africa, Saturday 8 September, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Qantas Wallabies v Argentina, Saturday 15 September, Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast

Share
Force 'heart and soul' Pomare set to reach rare Super W milestone
Michael Hooper is excited about the challenge of playing Sevens in Hong Kong. Photo: Nick Holland/RA Media
'Rookie' ex-Wallabies skipper Hooper ready to step up Sevens unknown
'Brumbies DNA': Wallabies selections on the line for Reds clash - Larkham
'It's pretty hard to leave an environment like this': Jorgensen eager to commit future to Waratahs