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On 13 July 1985, as LiveAid took place at Wembley Stadium, the Welfare Ground – 160 miles to the west in Porth – hosted the first ValleyAid concert, which also raised money for humanitarian causes. A group of local women suggested doing a local version of the London gig; the choice of venue was wholly appropriate given the Welfare Ground’s origins. Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together. It doesn’t have a monster capacity, housing just 51,762 when full, but at times the noise factor can be something to behold. The ground is currently being redeveloped but those stunning vistas will remain. 15. Kingspan Stadium, Belfast The small town of Kamaishi, on Japan’s eastern coast, has been described as a place built on “fishing, metal and rugby”. The local team, Kamaishi Seawaves, won Japan’s national championship every season from 1979 to 1985.
Lest you think the big international stadia dominate the book, there are plenty of grounds of smaller dimensions. Among them are three with huge historic significance: Edinburgh’s Raeburn Place, scene of the first-ever Test match in 1871; Rugby School, where 200 years ago William Webb Ellis ran with the ball; and The Greenyards in Melrose, venue for the oldest rugby tournament after sevens was born there in 1883. Donegal Town RFC’s home since 1980 is in a truly idyllic spot, next to Holmes Beach on a quiet peninsula overlooking Donegal Bay. It’s not just the picturesque setting that makes this club remarkable; formed in a corner of Ireland dominated by Gaelic football, it grew from basic beginnings to represent something more substantial. In 1965, a deadly explosion at Cambrian Colliery in the Rhondda valley claimed 31 lives. Two years later the colliery closed down, ripping the heart out of the local community. The legacy of the miners lives on through the local rugby ground, as Cambrian Welfare chairman Jonathan Davies explains. The Principality Stadium offers an electric atmosphere when boasting a full house (Image: Getty Images) Although the 52,000 capacity is modest by some northern hemisphere standards, the Durban-based venue can do high-decibel levels of noise as well as most.There are many things that can make a rugby stadium a truly special place to be, and every fan of the game will have their own personal favourite. Visiting players have been known to feel they are not so much taking part in a rugby match as a gladiatorial contest. For some it will be a giant, cacophonous international stadium where only the elite get to do battle in front of entire nations. For others, there's no place like a traditional old club rugby ground where the intimacy and unique atmosphere on the terraces are what make the game what it is. Known as The Bullring, this ground has seen visiting teams wilt before games have even started over the years. We travel ‘Around the World in 80 pitches’ with grounds in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Hong Kong, Japan, Alaska, Argentina, Romania, along with the Six Nations venues.
It can be argued that no club has had as much influence on the history of rugby union as Richmond RFC. It was one of 21 teams that founded the Rugby Football Union (RFU) at a meeting in central London in January 1871. There were meant to be 23 attendees, but Ealing’s representative took a detour to the pub, while Wasps turned up in the wrong place, at the wrong time, on the wrong day.Remarkable Rugby Grounds continues the blend of earlier ‘Remarkables’ by mixing some of the world’s cathedrals of rugby with some of the quirky club grounds and local pitches set in beautiful locations. On the field it’s an atmosphere like no other - hostile and very passionate. No coincidence that the Springboks play better there than at any ground in the country. They’re different beasts when they run on to Ellis Park. Something in them stirs." For his efforts, in 1861 Lindon was recognised as the principal Foot-Ball Maker to Rugby School, Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin Universities. He called his creation the Big-Side Match Ball, which was successfully manufactured by both Richard Lindon and, subsequently, his son, Hughes John Lindon, for half a century. Porth Harlequins RFC in South Wales Photograph: Kevin Rudge/HarperCollins Welfare Ground, Porth, south Wales The location may not be to everyone’s liking, in one of the most dangerous neighbourhoods in the world, but the ground is iconic.
We travel ‘Around the World in 80 pitches’ with grounds in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Samoa, Japan, Alaska, Canada, South Africa, Argentina, Romania, along with the Six Nations venues. One of British rugby’s greatest club grounds, it has a capacity of just over 16,000 and is located a mile or so from the city centre.
The ground isn't the biggest, housing 19,022, but when Clermont play the stands are drenched in yellow, from the jerseys to the placards which supporters hold aloft when their side takes the field. Launched as rugby hit fever pitch at the 2023 World Cup, Remarkable Rugby Grounds is the perfect title for the passionate rugby fan who will be astonished at the worldwide reach of their favourite game. One of the most imposing rugby grounds in South Africa, its lower stands are just a few metres away from the field, allowing spectators to get right up close to the action. Elk stadion komt met zijn eigen verhaal, bijzondere wedstrijden, naamgevers etc naast de meest prachtige foto’s. Interessante weetjes te over, het dak van het nationale stadion van Singapore, één van de stops van het 7’s circuit sluit in slechts 20 minuten om 95% van de plaatsen te overdekken en één van de tribunes van het Stade Marcel-Michelin, de thuisbasis van Clermont is vernoemd naar Jean-Francois Philponau die tijdens een wedstrijd in 1976 overleed toen hij door de bliksem was getroffen. Yet his decision to abandon Ris-Orangis saved FRF a fortune, especially when you factor in the financial fallout from Covid, coupled with rising construction costs. Quelle ironie, as they say.
Major refurbishment at the ground involved the construction of three new stands and was completed in 2014. 14. Aviva Stadium, Dublin In 1883, the first Melrose Sevens was held here, making it the world’s oldest rugby union tournament. The exact details of why Ned Haig, a local apprentice butcher and rugby player, suggested playing a different version of the game remains unclear.
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
The ground was redesigned in 2010 by the architect Rudy Ricciotti, who was tasked with making the Jean-Bouin stand out next to its more imposing neighbour. Taking inspiration from his Mucem museum design in Marseille, Riciotti proposed an undulating roof and an outer web structure consisting of 3,543 fibre concrete panels.
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