Perth to host rugby world champions and second Bledisloe Cup
Two of rugby union's powerhouse nations will take on Australia's Wallabies at Optus Stadium over the next two years thanks to a deal struck by the State Government, through Tourism WA and Rugby Australia.
- Wallabies to play world champion Springboks at Optus Stadium in 2020
- Perth's second Bledisloe Cup to follow in 2021
- Rugby union matches set to attract visitors and generate millions for economy
- Sponsored by the State Government through Tourism WA
On August 29, Australia will take on South Africa in South Africa's only match on Australian soil in 2020. The game is expected to attract thousands of rugby fans from around Australia eager to see the Rugby World Cup champions in action against the Wallabies.
And the Bledisloe Cup is expected to pull another blockbuster crowd in 2021 at Optus Stadium when the Wallabies take on the New Zealand All Blacks.
Perth hosted its first-ever Bledisloe Cup in August last year at Optus Stadium, when the Wallabies scored a sensational victory over their rivals.
The game created a new attendance record of more than 61,000 for a sporting match at Optus Stadium, with close to 7400 visitors travelling to Perth for the historic event and pouring more than $12.5 million into the Western Australian economy through visitor spend.
Both South Africa and New Zealand have significant expat populations in WA, with the opportunity to visit friends and relatives and watch world-class rugby expected to be a big motivator for people to travel to the State.
Both the Wallabies versus Springboks game and the Bledisloe Cup will be televised live into New Zealand and South Africa and a number of Tourism WA's key international markets.