Rugby Park Stadium

The ground sits in Invercargill, New Zealand, and its character comes from the way it has changed while keeping its shape. Tall floodlight towers stand at each end, and the field itself is natural grass, cut in stripes that run the length of the ground. The stadium opened in 1908, and while the core of the terraces remains, the modern stand was rebuilt in 2002. That rebuild added a media tower and corporate boxes, but the terraces are still there, though covered in concrete now. The capacity sits at 18,000 for regular matches, but for major events like the 2011 Rugby World Cup, temporary seating pushed the number higher. The venue has hosted matches from that tournament, including Romania against Scotland, and it has seen the arrival of the Springboks more than once. The surface is the only part of the game played here every week, and it is not artificial. There is no sponsorship name on the building, just the simple identity of Rugby Park. The Southland Rugby Union runs the place, and the history is tied to the Shield challenges that have been played there over the decades.

The view from above shows the contrast between the permanent structure and the open terraces. The stadium does not have its own separate website; the information comes from the union.