Eden Park
Ngā Ana Wai | |
New Zealand's National Stadium | |
Location | Kingsland, New Zealand |
---|---|
Coordinates | 36°52′30″S 174°44′41″E / 36.87500°S 174.74472°E |
Owner | Eden Park Trust Board |
Operator | Eden Park Trust Board |
Capacity | 50,000 (Football codes - with standard seating)[1][2] 60,000 (Rugby union and league - with temporary seating)[3] NRL Auckland Nines (2014–2017) |
Ground information | |
End names | |
Broadcasting End Terraces End | |
International information | |
First Test | 14–17 February 1930: New Zealand v England |
Last Test | 22–26 March 2018: New Zealand v England |
First ODI | 22 February 1976: New Zealand v India |
Last ODI | 25 March 2023: New Zealand v Sri Lanka |
First T20I | 17 February 2005: New Zealand v Australia |
Last T20I | 25 February 2024: New Zealand v Australia |
First women's Test | 26–29 March 1949: New Zealand v England |
Last women's Test | 27–29 December 1957: New Zealand v England |
First WODI | 20 January 1988: New Zealand v Australia |
Last WODI | 20 March 2022: New Zealand v England |
First WT20I | 22 February 2012: New Zealand v England |
Last WT20I | 1 April 2021: New Zealand v Australia |
As of 25 February 2024 Source: Cricinfo |
Ground information | |
---|---|
Location | Auckland |
End names | |
City End Sandringham End | |
International information | |
First WODI | 10 January 1982: Australia v India |
Last WODI | 27 January 2020: New Zealand v South Africa |
As of 21 January 2024 Source: Cricinfo |
Eden Park is a sports venue in
Eden Park is considered one of international rugby union's most difficult grounds for visiting sides. New Zealand's national rugby union team, nicknamed the All Blacks, have been unbeaten at this venue in 48 consecutive test matches stretching back to 1994.[7] Eden Park is the site of the 2021 Te Matatini.[8] It was the site for the 2022 Women's Cricket World Cup, the final of the 2021 Women's Rugby World Cup and staged the opening match of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. In 2011 it hosted pool games, two quarter-finals, both semi-finals and the final of 2011 Rugby World Cup. In doing so it became the first stadium in the world to host two Rugby World Cup finals, having held the inaugural final in 1987.[9] It was a venue for the 2015 Cricket World Cup, which was jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand.[10]
History
Origins of Eden Park
The land where Eden Park stands was originally swampland, fed by lava caverns created by Maungawhau / Mount Eden and Mount Albert over 30,000 years ago. Tāmaki Māori used the swamp to collect food and materials.[11] In 1845, the area was purchased by Cornish farmer John Walters.[11] Eden Park has been a sports ground since 1900.[5] The park began as a cricket ground in 1903, and was due to the vision of one Harry Ryan, a cricket enthusiast who approached landowner John Walters to lease part of his land as a sports field. In the book Eden Park: A History, the authors write, "Certainly the rough paddock strewn with stones, studded with outcrops of rock and streaked with cowpats, falling away to a boggy trough that filled in a downpour and remained flooded throughout the winter, looked better suited to frog-hunting or duck-shooting than cricket, let alone rugby. Ryan knew or at least imagined better."[12] Much early work on the cricket ground was needed, including clearing the stone walls that had been used to divide farmland, and ongoing drainage issues.[11]
Those who saw Ryan's vision as madness most likely felt vindicated when, in 1907, massive downpours of rain saw the ground submerged in water for a week. The same thing happened again later in the year. By 1910, the ongoing maintenance costs led the Eden District Cricket Club to approach the
Opening as a cricket and rugby venue
In 1913 the park was leased to the Auckland Rugby Football Union, becoming both a summer and winter sporting venue, with the union leasing the venue initially for 21 years. The union agreed to pay to build the park's first grandstand, erected in 1913 to hold an audience of 2,500, and later followed by a second members' stand built in 1914.
In 1930, the ground hosted its inaugural
Eden Park served as the opening ceremony and athletics venue for the 1950 British Empire Games,[11] when the western part of the grounds were first opened.[13] In 1955, New Zealand hosted England in the second test match of their 1954–55 Tour of New Zealand. During the same year, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Eden Park Trust Act,[11] enshrining the governance structure of the park until 2009. By 1956, the West Stand was completed, followed by the South Stand in 1958. New Zealand won its first cricket test match against the West Indies as part of the 1955–56 West Indies Tour of New Zealand. The ground hosted its third rugby international between New Zealand and South Africa. New Zealand won 11 – 5 before a record crowd of 63,000. The British and Irish Lions returned for the third time in the 1959 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand with matches against Auckland and New Zealand. The visitors win both, their first test match win at the ground.
During the 1960s and 70s, further large scale events were held at the venue, including
During the
The 1980s saw a number of record events such as a crowd of 43,000 at the
In 1996, the new
2011 Rugby World Cup and redevelopment
In 2007, the ground was confirmed by the
The 2011 Rugby World Cup commenced on 9 September, with New Zealand defeating
In 2013 the
The Auckland Council takes over five of the nine spots on the Eden Park Trust Board, giving ratepayers control over the ground.[18][19]
In 2015, it hosted four matches during the 2015 Cricket World Cup, which was co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand including the first semi final between New Zealand and South Africa.[10] The stadium hosted its first day night test match during the English cricket tour in 2018.
In 2020, after 117 years, Eden Park sold week-long naming rights to longtime partner, ASB. As part of their commitment to small business in New Zealand, ASB gifted their naming rights to Coopers Catch, a small fish-and-chip shop from Kaikōura.[20]
In 2021, for the first time since 1975, Eden Park hosted a concert, headlined by the band Six60[21] to a sold-out crowd of about 50,000 attendees. The concert was also one of the biggest concerts in the world at the time, due to COVID-19.
Redevelopment
Capacity
The $256 million redevelopment completed in October 2010 provided a permanent capacity of 50,000 with a further 10,000 temporary seats for the 2011 Rugby World Cup games.[22] This is the largest of any New Zealand sports arena. There are no standing areas. Temporary seating in front of the North Stand and the West Stand (usually only used for international rugby matches) is required for the capacity to be reached. Due to sight-screens and the larger area required for cricket matches, cricket capacity is smaller.
Prior to redevelopment, Eden Park had a crowd capacity of 45,472 for rugby and 42,000 for cricket .[23]
Expansion
The redevelopment project included a three-tier South stand replacing the old South and West stands, with a capacity of 24,000, and a three-tier East replacing the Terraces. The number of covered seats increased from 23,000 to 38,000. The redeveloped Eden Park has an internal concourse that allows people to circulate around the grounds inside the stadium, and world-class facilities, including food and beverage outlets, toilets and corporate areas, were incorporated. The open plan approach to the design and establishment of a community centre and green space, and the removal of the perimeter fence, mean that the stadium has become more publicly accessible and a part of the neighbourhood.
There were public concerns about the height of the new structure and its shading effect on many nearby houses. Auckland City Council received 470 submissions on the resource consent application, over 300 of which were in favour of the redevelopment. On 26 January 2007, Eden Park received resource consent with 91 conditions imposed. The consent permitted the building of new stands in place of the terraces and south stand, but did not include consent for the NZ$385 million 'full option', which would have included covered seating.[24]
Possible alternative stadium for the 2011 Rugby World Cup
In September 2006 it was announced that instead of Eden Park, the Government and Auckland City Council were assessing the possibility of a new stadium on Auckland's waterfront to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup.[25] This assessment was part of the Government's formal due diligence process on the decision to redevelop Eden Park. The Government had said it would assist with the funding if a new stadium was built. The Government announced in a report in November 2006 that it would favour a new stadium on the Auckland waterfront, which would have meant that the Eden Park redevelopment would not have gone ahead, and that options for its use or redevelopment would have to be developed. After the Auckland City Council and the Auckland Regional Council differed in their support for the new stadium, the Government changed to supporting the redevelopment of Eden Park, subject to suitable resolution of the design, funding and governance issues.[26]
Gallery
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Eden Park in 2005 prior to redevelopment.
-
Cranes during the construction of the new South Stand in 2009.
-
Looking south over the redevelopment of the West Stand at Eden Park in 2009.
Rugby union
Eden Park is the home ground for the
The final game of the
Eden Park was used in the inaugural 1987 Rugby World Cup and the 2011 Rugby World Cup, both of which the All Blacks won against France, making it the first ground to host two Rugby World Cup finals.[9]
In late 2015, the ground also hosted a public memorial for legendary All Black wing Jonah Lomu after he died at the age of 40.
It was one of the sites for the 2021 Women's Rugby World Cup, including the final.
New Zealand's overall Test match record at Eden Park against all nations, updated to 14 August 2021, is as follows:[27]
Played | Won | Lost | Drawn | New Zealand points |
Opposition points |
Win percentage | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Overall | 89 | 76 | 10 | 3 | 2566 | 1167 | 85.39% |
Records
Note: Date shown in brackets indicates when the record was or last set.
Record | New Zealand | Opposition |
---|---|---|
Longest winning streak | 38 (22 Apr 1995–8 Jul 2017) | 2 (9 Sept 1978–20 Jun 1981) |
Longest unbeaten streak | 48 (6 Aug 1994 – Present) | 2 (9 Sept 1978–20 Jun 1981) |
Largest points for | ||
In a win | 78 (16 June 2017) | 30 (9 September 1978) |
In a loss | 20 (3 July 1994) | 35 (9 August 1997) |
Largest winning margin | ||
In a game | 78 (16 June 2017) | 14 (9 September 1978) |
Largest aggregate score | ||
90 (New Zealand 55–35 South Africa) (9 August 1997) |
Cricket
Eden Park is the home ground for the
It first hosted a test in 1930. The ground was also the host to
The ground hosted four matches during the 1992 Cricket World Cup including the semi-final between New Zealand and Pakistan, which Pakistan won by four wickets en route to winning the tournament after Inzamam-ul-Haq's 60 off 37 in reply to Black Caps captain Martin Crowe's 91. It also hosted four matches during the 2015 Cricket World Cup, which was co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. The matches played included two pool B games and the pool A clash between co-hosts New Zealand and Australia, which New Zealand won by one wicket via Kane Williamson's six off Pat Cummins with 6 required after Mitchell Starc had taken 6 wickets in reply to Trent Boult's 5. It also hosted the first semifinal between New Zealand and South Africa, which New Zealand won off the penultimate ball with another six – this time by Grant Elliott off Dale Steyn – to advance to their first Cricket World Cup final.[10]
In 2018, Eden Park hosted the first day-night test in New Zealand, against England. England were bowled out for 58 in the first innings. It took New Zealand only 20.4 overs to dismiss England on the first day of the test match. Trent Boult and Tim Southee took six and four wickets each and bowled unchanged throughout the 20.4 overs. No other bowler was required to bowl. This was just the fourth instance that only 2 bowlers were required to dismiss the opposition since 1920. Five England players were dismissed for a duck. Trent Boult (6/32) picked his career best figures in test cricket. This was his second five wicket haul at Eden Park and his second consecutive five wicket haul in day night test cricket, the first one against Australia in Adelaide in 2015 which was the inaugural day night test.
The highest total set by a team here in Test cricket was by the
In ODI cricket, the highest total has been set by
In May 2018, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said that the ground is no longer cost-effective or financially viable to host cricket matches, and that they were looking at hosting fixtures at the Western Springs Stadium instead.[28]
The ground is also where famed Indian cricket player Sachin Tendulkar made his debut as an ODI opener. Ahead of the second ODI of the New Zealand-India series at the ground in March 1994, regular opener Navjot Singh Sidhu was ruled out with a stiff neck, opening the way for the 21-year-old Tendulkar's promotion. He made 82 off just 49 balls against to steer India to a 7-wicket victory.
It was a site for 2022 Women's Cricket World Cup.
World Cup matches
Gallery
-
ODI, 2005, before east stand redevelopment
-
Looking at Eden Park's South Stand from the North Stand, during the warm-up for the 2015 Cricket World Cup semifinal, New Zealand vs South Africa
-
Blues vs Hurricanes 2020
Rugby league
The biggest rugby league game played at Eden Park was the
Eden Park hosted two matches (a double header) in the
In 2013 a new faster format of rugby league was announced that it would be held at Eden Park.
Association football
Eden Park has hosted four
On 19 November 2011, Eden Park hosted its first game of professional club football. The
On 23 July 2014, Eden Park hosted English Premiership team
The venue will host several matches of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup including the opening match in which New Zealand beat Norway 1-0. This was the first ever victory for New Zealand at a men’s or women’s FIFA World Cup and was played in front of a record crowd of 42,137, which was the highest attended football match in New Zealand for men or women.[38][39]
The attendance record was beaten on 1 August 2023 when 42,958 watched the final Group E game between USA 0-0 draw against Portugal.[40]
The record was beaten for a third time on 5 August 2023 when 43,217 watched the first Round of 16 knockout match which saw Spain beat Switzerland 5-1.[41]
The fourth highest attendance for a football match attended in New Zealand with 41,107, when USA beat Vietnam 3-0 in the group stages.[42]
2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Fixtures
Date | Team #1 | Res. | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
20 July 2023 | New Zealand | 1–0 | Norway | Group A | 42,137 |
22 July 2023 | United States | 3–0 | Vietnam | Group E | 41,107 |
24 July 2023 | Italy | 1–0 | Argentina | Group G | 30,889 |
26 July 2023 | Spain | 5–0 | Zambia | Group C | 20,983 |
31 July 2023 | Norway | 6–0 | Philippines | Group A | 34,697 |
1 August 2023 | Portugal | 0–0 | United States | Group E | 42,958 |
5 August 2023 | Switzerland | 1–5 | Spain | Round of 16 | 43,217 |
11 August 2023 | Japan | 1–2 | Sweden | Quarter-finals | 43,217 |
15 August 2023 | Spain | 2–1 | Sweden | Semi-finals | 43,217 |
Outer Oval
Eden Park Outer Oval (also known as Eden Park No.2 and, since 2021, "
See also
- 1985–1988 Rugby League World Cup
- 1987 Rugby World Cup
- 1992 Cricket World Cup
- 2011 Rugby World Cup
- 2015 Cricket World Cup
- List of Test cricket grounds
- List of international cricket centuries at Eden Park
- List of international cricket five-wicket hauls at Eden Park
References
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- ^ "About Eden Park". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
- ^ "10,000 Eden Park seats". Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
- ^ a b Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand Archived 9 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine ESPNcricinfo.com. Retrieved on 29 November 2015.
- ^ a b "Iconic New Zealand rugby grounds". Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
- ^ "Your guide to all the 2023 Women's World Cup stadiums, with photos". 11 April 2023.
- ^ "Eden Park: The All Blacks' happy place and the Wallabies' worst nightmare". Stuff. 21 August 2018. Archived from the original on 8 June 2019. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
- ^ Campbell, Georgina; Tapaleao, Vaimoana (24 February 2019). "Eden Park to host Te Matatini 2021". New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 10 September 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- ^ a b c EDEN PARK Auckland, New Zealand Archived 8 December 2015 at the Wayback Machine espn.co.uk. Retrieved on 30 November 2015.
- ^ a b c d ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP 2015 Archived 3 November 2015 at the Wayback Machine ESPNcricinfo.com. Retrieved on 29 November 2015
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- ^ "MetService Blog". Archived from the original on 13 September 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
- ^ "Tour diary – 1981 Springbok tour". New Zealand history online. Nzhistory.net.nz. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
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- ^ "Council votes to accept Eden Park 'gift'". NZ Herald. 15 February 2013. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
- ^ Nadkarni, Anuja (12 October 2020). "Auckland's Eden Park temporarily renamed Coopers Catch Park, after Kaikōura fish and chip shop". Stuff.
- ^ "Six60's Matiu Walters on Eden Park gig: 'It means the world'". Radio New Zealand. 20 March 2021.
- ^ Ihaka, James (9 September 2010). "Stadium has World Cup experience wrapped up". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 6 January 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
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- ^ Skipwith, David (29 November 2014). "NRL: League's waterfront wish". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 8 December 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
- NZPA. 27 November 2006. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
- ^ "Statsguru Team analysis New Zealand - Test matches". ESPN Scrum.
- ^ "Eden Park could be scrapped as an international venue". International Cricket Council. Archived from the original on 22 May 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
- ^ Cricket World Cup Results & Attendances Archived 8 December 2015 at the Wayback Machine austadiums.com. Retrieved on 29 November 2015
- ^ Ferguson, Shawn Dollin and Andrew. "NRL 2011 - Round 1 - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org.
- ^ Rugby League [permanent dead link]
- ^ "NRL Auckland Nines Tournament launched". nrl.com. Archived from the original on 25 July 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
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- ^ "Massive crowd turns out for Phoenix match". TVNZ. 19 November 2011. Archived from the original on 23 February 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
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- ^ "Wellington Phoenix stun EPL side West Ham". Stuff. 23 July 2014. Archived from the original on 24 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
- ^ "Football Ferns stun Norway to claim first-ever World Cup win". 1 News. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
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- ^ "Portugal 0-0 USA". FIFA.com. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
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- ^ Scott Yeoman. (1 January 2016). Four home games at Oval for Aces nzherald.co.nz Retrieved 22 December 2022
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- ^ "Eden Park Outer Oval to Be Renamed 'Kennards Hire Community Oval'". Kennards. Retrieved 30 October 2021.