Carisbrook
Encyclopedia
Carisbrook was a major sporting venue in Dunedin
, New Zealand
. The city's main domestic and international rugby union
venue, it has also been used for other sports such as cricket
, football, rugby league
and motocross
. Carisbrook has also hosted a Joe Cocker
concert and frequently hosted pre-game concerts before rugby matches in the 1990s. In 2011 Carisbrook will be closed, being replaced by Forsyth Barr Stadium at University Plaza in North Dunedin.
Floodlit since the 1990s, it can cater for both day and night fixtures. Known locally simply as "The Brook", it has been branded with the name "The House of Pain", due to its reputation as a difficult venue for visiting teams.
Located at the foot of The Glen, a steep valley, the ground is flanked by the South Island Main Trunk Railway
and the Hillside Railway Workshops
, two miles southwest of Dunedin city centre in the suburb of Caversham
. State Highway 1
also runs close to the northern perimeter of the ground.
Carisbrook was named after the estate of early colonial settler James Macandrew
(itself named after a castle
in the Isle of Wight
). Developed during the 1870s, it was first used for international cricket in 1883, when Otago hosted a team from Tasmania
. It has been hosting rugby union internationals since 1908 and full cricket internationals since 1955.
The stadium was home to both the Highlanders in Super Rugby and Otago
in the ITM Cup through each side's respective 2011 season. It is also the former home of Otago cricket, which moved to the University Oval at Logan Park
in the north of the city after the redevelopment in the early 2000s, and also of Otago United
Football team in the New Zealand Football Championship
, which moved to the lower-capacity Sunnyvale Park
for the 2008–09 season.
, close to other major sporting facilities such as Logan Park
and the University Oval. Construction and ownership of the new $198 million (NZD) stadium, officially named the Forsyth Barr Stadium at University Plaza, will be overseen by the Carisbrook Stadium Trust. Until the new stadium was completed all international and Super Rugby games were still held at Carisbrook. The last international game was expected to be the All Blacks
verse South Africa
Tri Nations
match on 12 July 2008. However, the All Blacks returned to Carisbrook to play France
on 13 June 2009 and finally Wales
on 19 June 2010 . This final game meant that the All Blacks have played every major test playing nation at Carisbrook. However, it has been announced a final test match will be played at Carisbrook between New Zealand and Fiji as a fundraiser for Christchurch on 22 July 2011. On 11 May 2011 the Dunedin City Council decided to sell Carisbrook after the 2011 Rugby World Cup
. The turnstile building on Neville Street is category 1 historic buildings
and would be protected during any potential developments due to the sale.
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The city's main domestic and international rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
venue, it has also been used for other sports such as cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, football, rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
and motocross
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
. Carisbrook has also hosted a Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
concert and frequently hosted pre-game concerts before rugby matches in the 1990s. In 2011 Carisbrook will be closed, being replaced by Forsyth Barr Stadium at University Plaza in North Dunedin.
Floodlit since the 1990s, it can cater for both day and night fixtures. Known locally simply as "The Brook", it has been branded with the name "The House of Pain", due to its reputation as a difficult venue for visiting teams.
Located at the foot of The Glen, a steep valley, the ground is flanked by the South Island Main Trunk Railway
South Island Main Trunk Railway
The Main North Line between Picton and Christchurch and the Main South Line between Lyttelton and Invercargill, running down the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand, are sometimes together referred to as the South Island Main Trunk Railway...
and the Hillside Railway Workshops
Hillside Engineering
Hillside Engineering Group is a trading division of the rail operator KiwiRail in Dunedin, New Zealand. Most of its work is related to KiwiRail, but it also does work for the marine industry in Dunedin.-History:...
, two miles southwest of Dunedin city centre in the suburb of Caversham
Caversham, New Zealand
Caversham is one of the older suburbs of the South Island New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is sited at the western edge of the city's central plain at the mouth of the steep Caversham Valley, which rises to the saddle of Lookout Point...
. State Highway 1
State Highway 1 (New Zealand)
State Highway 1 is the longest and most significant road in the New Zealand roading network, running the length of both main islands. It appears on road maps as SH 1 and on road signs as a white number 1 on a red shield, but it has the official designations SH 1N in the North Island, SH 1S in the...
also runs close to the northern perimeter of the ground.
Carisbrook was named after the estate of early colonial settler James Macandrew
James Macandrew
James Macandrew was a New Zealand ship-owner and politician. He served as a Member of Parliament from 1853 to 1887 and as the last Superintendent of Otago Province.-Early life:...
(itself named after a castle
Carisbrooke Castle
Carisbrooke Castle is a historic motte-and-bailey castle located in the village of Carisbrooke, near Newport, Isle of Wight, England. Charles I was imprisoned at the castle in the months prior to his trial.-Early history:...
in the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
). Developed during the 1870s, it was first used for international cricket in 1883, when Otago hosted a team from Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
. It has been hosting rugby union internationals since 1908 and full cricket internationals since 1955.
The stadium was home to both the Highlanders in Super Rugby and Otago
Otago Rugby Football Union
The Otago Rugby Football Union is the official governing body of rugby union for the Otago Region of New Zealand. The union is based in the city of Dunedin, and its home ground is Forsyth Barr Stadium. The top representative team competes in the ITM Cup, New Zealand's top provincial...
in the ITM Cup through each side's respective 2011 season. It is also the former home of Otago cricket, which moved to the University Oval at Logan Park
Logan Park, Dunedin
Logan Park is a sporting venue in the city of Dunedin, New Zealand. It lies on land reclaimed from the former Lake Logan.- History :Lake Logan was reclaimed in the early 20th century...
in the north of the city after the redevelopment in the early 2000s, and also of Otago United
Otago United
Otago United is a soccer club based in Dunedin, New Zealand.It participates in the ASB Premiership. Their previous home stadium is Carisbrook in the South Dunedin suburb of Caversham which is the soon the replaced home of Otago Rugby...
Football team in the New Zealand Football Championship
New Zealand Football Championship
The New Zealand Football Championship is the national association football league in New Zealand. It is a professional/semi-professional status Association football sports Franchise league that is operated by New Zealand Football...
, which moved to the lower-capacity Sunnyvale Park
Sunnyvale Park
Sunnyvale Park is a multi-use sports venue in Dunedin, New Zealand. It is located in Sunnyvale, near Green Island, and is currently used primarily for football , being the home ground for Otago United in the New Zealand Football Championship, as well as local club side Green Island.Sunnyvale Park...
for the 2008–09 season.
Stands
The ground's current capacity is around 29,000, but has hosted crowds as high as 42,000 in the past. Until 1998 the sides of the Caversham bypass motorway allowed a free view of the ground and was known as the "Scotsman's Grandstand". Occasionally trains would slow to a crawl or stop on the track above the stadium to allowing passengers to watch an entire event. In 1998 a new stand and corporate boxes were built that blocked the view. Partly due to Dunedin's relatively large number of tertiary students (20,000 of the city's 120,000 population), Carisbrook has a unique atmosphere. This is enhanced by the terraces, an uncovered concrete embankment at the eastern end of the ground.Retirement
On 9 August 2006, a proposal was announced that would see Carisbrook retired and a 30,000 capacity covered stadium built in Dunedin NorthDunedin North
Dunedin North, also known as North Dunedin, is a major inner suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin, located to the northeast of the city centre. It contains many of the city's major institutions, including the city's university, polytechnic, main hospital, and largest museum...
, close to other major sporting facilities such as Logan Park
Logan Park, Dunedin
Logan Park is a sporting venue in the city of Dunedin, New Zealand. It lies on land reclaimed from the former Lake Logan.- History :Lake Logan was reclaimed in the early 20th century...
and the University Oval. Construction and ownership of the new $198 million (NZD) stadium, officially named the Forsyth Barr Stadium at University Plaza, will be overseen by the Carisbrook Stadium Trust. Until the new stadium was completed all international and Super Rugby games were still held at Carisbrook. The last international game was expected to be the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
verse South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
Tri Nations
2008 Tri Nations Series
The 2008 Tri Nations Series was the thirteenth annual Tri Nations competition between the national rugby union teams of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa...
match on 12 July 2008. However, the All Blacks returned to Carisbrook to play France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
on 13 June 2009 and finally Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
on 19 June 2010 . This final game meant that the All Blacks have played every major test playing nation at Carisbrook. However, it has been announced a final test match will be played at Carisbrook between New Zealand and Fiji as a fundraiser for Christchurch on 22 July 2011. On 11 May 2011 the Dunedin City Council decided to sell Carisbrook after the 2011 Rugby World Cup
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
. The turnstile building on Neville Street is category 1 historic buildings
New Zealand Historic Places Trust
The New Zealand Historic Places Trust is a non-profit trust that advocates for the protection of ancestral sites and heritage buildings in New Zealand...
and would be protected during any potential developments due to the sale.
Historic Events
- 1886 22 November – First international cricket match at Carisbrook, Otago v Australia
- 1908 30 May – First Otago Rugby defeat of international side, Anglo-Welsh
- 1908 30 June – First Rugby test at Carisbrook (NZ v Anglo-Welsh)
- 1922 17 June – New Zealand's first full international football (soccer) match, a 3–1 win to New Zealand over Australia
- 1924 9 August – First Rugby League Test at Carisbrook (NZ v England LionsGreat Britain national rugby league teamThe Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
) - 1930 21 June – First All Black defeat at Carisbrook (by Great Britain)
- 1936 1 August – First Ranfurly ShieldRanfurly ShieldThe Ranfurly Shield, colloquially known as the Log o' Wood, is a trophy in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1904, the Ranfurly Shield is based on a challenge system, rather than a league or knockout competition as with most football trophies...
match at Carisbrook - 1955 11 March – First cricket test at Carisbrook
- 1956 3–6 February – First NZ cricket test victory at Carisbrook
- 1987 May–June – Rugby World Cup1987 Rugby World CupThe 1987 Rugby World Cup was the first Rugby World Cup. New Zealand and Australia agreed to co-host the first ever tournament with New Zealand hosting seventeen pool stage matches, two quarter-finals and the final with Australia being the junior partner hosting seven pool matches, two...
games (Italy 18, Fiji 15; Ireland 46, Canada 19) - 1992 12 March – Cricket World Cup1992 Cricket World Cup-New Zealand:-Round Robin Stage:Co-hosts New Zealand proved the surprise packet of the tournament, winning their first seven games to finish on top of the table after the round robin. The other hosts, Australia, were one of the pre-tournament favourites but lost their first two matches. They...
(New Zealand vs India) - 1992 27 September – First extra time in a rugby match in New Zealand (Otago 26, North Harbour 23)
- 1996 3 March – First Super 12 match at Carisbrook (Otago Highlanders 57, Queensland 17)
- 1998 25 October – National Provincial ChampionshipNational Provincial ChampionshipThe National Provincial Championship, or NPC, is the major domestic rugby competition in New Zealand. The NPC has seen many alterations to its format and brand. Since 2006 the National Championship has been split into 2 competitions, the ITM Cup and the Heartland Championship...
Division 1 Final (Otago vs Waikato) - 1999 29 May – 1999 Super 12 Final (Highlanders vs Crusaders)
- 1999 12–21 November – Group stage matches and one quarter-final of the FIFA Under-17 Soccer World Championship1999 FIFA U-17 World ChampionshipThe FIFA U-17 World Championship 1999 was held in the cities of Auckland, Christchurch, Napier, and Dunedin in New Zealand between 10 November and 27 November 1999...
- 2005 27 August – The last International Rugby match (All Blacks 31, South Africa 27) before the NZRFU deemed Carisbrook to no longer be a suitable venue for International Rugby
- 2008 12 July – After a 3 year absence of International Rugby at Carisbrook a one-off match between All Blacks and South Africa was played. At the same time this was South Africa's first win at Carisbrook after beating the All Blacks 30–28.
- 2010 19 June – The last official rugby test against a "Tier 1" nation was played at the ground (All Blacks vs Wales), with the All Blacks winning 42–9.
- 2011 3 June – The final Highlanders match at Carisbrook saw the Western ForceWestern ForceWestern Force is a rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia playing in the international Super Rugby competition. They first competed in the 2006 season and finished with the wooden spoon in that year, however their performances greatly improved in 2007. In 2008 they finished in 8th...
defeat the Highlanders 21–14. - 2011 22 July – The All Blacks defeated Fiji 60–14 in the final Test match, which served as a fundraiser for Christchurch earthquake relief.
See also
- Forsyth Barr Stadium at University Plaza
- The Edgar CentreThe Edgar CentreThe Edgar Centre is a large multi-purpose indoor sports venue in South Dunedin, New Zealand, on the shore of Otago Harbour close to Andersons Bay Inlet. It is the home venue of the Otago Nuggets basketball team, and an alternate venue for the Southern Steel netball team...
- Logan Park, DunedinLogan Park, DunedinLogan Park is a sporting venue in the city of Dunedin, New Zealand. It lies on land reclaimed from the former Lake Logan.- History :Lake Logan was reclaimed in the early 20th century...
- University Oval, Dunedin
- List of Test cricket grounds