The city of Brisbane has landed a major rugby union coup with a new marquee fixture to take the sunshine state by storm from next year, when a sold out Suncorp Stadium is expected to add to the ever-increasing sporting buffet that ANZAC Day now provides.
Rugby Australia has committed to a "family friendly early afternoon timeslot" for the fixture, which will be one of three Bledisloe Cup tests to take place in 2027.
The other two Bledisloe Cup venues for 2027 are yet to be announced.
It will be the first time in the history of the 123-year rugby rivalry between Australia and New Zealand that the teams compete on ANZAC Day.
The Queensland Government is supporting the marquee match with an undisclosed sum of funding and will host a series of community and business events surrounding the match.
Australia's women's rugby union team (the Wallaroos) have previously contested trans-Tasman internationals on ANZAC Day, most recently losing 40-5 to New Zealand this year as part of a Pacific Four series involving USA and Canada.
Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh said:
“This is an historic day for Australian, New Zealand and international rugby and, on behalf of Rugby Australia, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Premier David Crisafulli, acting Minister for Sport and Racing Andrew Powell and the entire Queensland Government for supporting an Anzac Day Bledisloe Cup Test at Suncorp Stadium in 2027, 2029 and 2031.
“A Test match of this significance will draw fans from far and wide to Brisbane and inspire Queensland’s vast and passionate rugby community. And as a new, marquee fixture on the global sporting calendar, the Anzac Day Bledisloe Cup Test will be watched by tens of millions across Australia, New Zealand and beyond at a time Queensland is preparing to welcome the world to its shores for next year’s Rugby World Cup and the 2032 Olympic Games.
“The eternal bond shared between Australia and New Zealand was forged on the first Anzac Day and, 112 years later, our nations will again unite around a sport that, in the immortal words of Wallabies legend and Gallipoli veteran Tom Richards, provided hope and respite for troops through the ‘dark passages’ of war.
“The 123-year history of Australia and New Zealand rugby is renowned and revered across the globe and the first ever staging of an Anzac Day Bledisloe Cup Test will, we believe, create a new trans-Tasman sporting tradition that will bring our nations together and reinforce our shared values. We are grateful to our friends at New Zealand Rugby for this partnership and, along with the Queensland Government, we look forward to creating history together.”
New Zealand Rugby CEO Steve Lancaster said:
"New Zealand and Australia share a special and unique bond built on sporting rivalries, friendship and those men and women who have served our countries in global conflicts, some making the ultimate sacrifice in doing so.
“Playing the Bledisloe Cup on Anzac Day creates a unique trans-Tasman sporting occasion that honours our countries’ shared history and cultures, while bringing people together through rugby.
“Rugby Australia is an important partner for us, and a strong game in Australia is good for rugby in New Zealand. Brisbane has long been seen as a home away from home with a large New Zealand population living there and we see this as a huge opportunity to work in partnership with Rugby Australia to grow the game in a key market.
“The Anzac Day Bledisloe Test adds another key moment during the Super Rugby Pacific season as the early rounds will have the added element of selection intrigue ahead of this match. We've worked closely with our clubs to ensure it gives fans another compelling reason to engage with the competition across the season.”