Touring Wales to play Queensland Reds in 'special' 20-year first
Wales will play the Queensland Reds in a 20-year first that Ballymore powerbrokers hope becomes a calendar staple.
The Queensland Rugby Union (QRU) announced the July 19 fixture on Saturday, moments before the Reds hosted the Chiefs at Suncorp Stadium.
Wales, who thumped the Wallabies 40-6 on the way to the World Cup quarter-finals last year, will play Tests in Sydney and Melbourne before heading north to face the Reds.
Suncorp Stadium will host just one Test this year, against South Africa on August 10.
But this clash will lock in a sporting feast in late July, with the Wallaroos, the third State of Origin and a Brisbane AFL game all to be played inside a week in the city.
The Reds last hosted the touring British and Irish Lions in 2013, but this game will mark their first against a major touring nation since they beat Scotland 41-5 at Ballymore Stadium in 2004.
It will also be the first time the Reds have faced Wales since 1991, when Wallabies and Queensland great John Eales was still to make his Test debut.
"It's a wonderful initiative and Queensland rugby fans will make something special of it," Eales said.
"I know for me, facing Wales as a Reds player in 1991 was the first top international side I played against. It was huge.
"That was because there is so much history and heritage to these Queensland clashes against international sides, including wins over the All Blacks (1980) and Lions (1971)."
When Wales coach Warren Gatland expressed his desire for a third fixture on tour, QRU chief executive Dave Hanham was pleased to oblige.
"We want international sides to see a tour game against the Reds as an essential part of their tours to Australia," he said.
"With the British and Irish Lions game against Queensland next year locked in, and the new Nations Championship coming in 2026, there are lots of opportunities for our fans to watch the Reds face top-flight opposition outside of Super Rugby.
"It's also a vital part of our plan to get our players playing more games."
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The match experience still sucks at SR games, irrespective of the game being a little quicker. Rugby has to compete with so much in the modern world, if you’re going to get people to leave their houses and pay to watch a game in winter then the experience has to be worthwhile.
Go to commentsIt’s a good, timely wake up call for NZ Rugby (seem to be a few of them lately!) - sort out the bureaucratic nonsense at board level. We can’t expect to stay the number one option without keeping fans/players engaged. We’ve obviously been bleeding players to league for years but can’t let the floodgates open (although I think this headline is hyperbolic as it’s a result of a recent Warriors pathways system where they are tracking things more closely) Understand the need to focus boys on rugby if they’re at a proud rugby school too, don’t think it’s harsh at all re Barakat in Hamilton. Reward the committed players with squad positions. An elite 1st XV system in NZ has done more for league than they even realise, think it’s good to protect our game further.
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