The NSW Waratahs will play their two biggest home-game fixtures of the 2020 Super Rugby season at Bankwest Stadium – the new home of sport and entertainment in Western Sydney.

In a win for rugby fans across Greater Sydney, the Tahs will play the Queensland Reds in Round 12 on Saturday 18 April and the Brumbies in Round 17 on Saturday 23 May – with a huge crowd anticipated for both games.

The Waratahs will play their first Bankwest Stadium game in season 2020 in Round 5 against the Lions on Friday 28 February.

All three Bankwest Stadium fixtures will kick off at the fan-friendly time of 7.15pm.

The NSW Waratahs on Friday confirmed all eight of their 2020 Super Rugby fixtures.

NSWRU also confirmed their Round 9 game against the Sunwolves will be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground and their Round 8 clash, previously earmarked for ‘Country NSW’, will be held at Scully Park, Tamworth.

It will be the first time the NSW Waratahs play a Super Rugby fixture in Country NSW.

The Scully Park clash with the Bulls has been made possible courtesy of a $300,000 joint grant from the NSW government’s Office of Sport and Drought Relief Fund.

Friday’s announcement takes the NSW Waratahs home venues in 2020 to six, as they extend on their efforts in 2019 to take the professional game around the state.

The confirmation of the Reds (Round 12) fixture at Bankwest Stadium will see three games in Sydney’s west once again in 2020.

McDonald Jones Stadium will host its second Super Rugby fixture, while the Illawarra region will have the professional game on their doorstep for the first time.

Trips to Newcastle and Wollongong have been made possible thanks to the support of Venues NSW, Newcastle City Council and Destination Wollongong.

NSW Waratahs Interim-CEO Phillip Van Schalkwyk said that the updated draw was a direct reflection of the organisation’s aim to take the professional game to the people of NSW.

“The [NSWRU] Board made it clear from the outset that we wanted to use our current displacement as an opportunity to engage with fans across NSW,” Van Schalkwyk said.

“To be playing in regional, country and a range of metropolitan locations in 2020 is a great result.”

Fans have voted with their feet and flocked to Bankwest Stadium for events since it opened to the public on 14 April this year.

By year’s end, more than 575,000 fans will have attended sporting events at Bankwest Stadium in its first nine months of operation. An additional 25,000 people have visited the Stadium for business, community or cultural events.

Bankwest Stadium will host the Sydney 7s on 1-2 February 2020 – the perfect start to the rugby season at the venue.

NSW Waratahs 2020 Super Rugby home fixtures:

Round 2: NSW Waratahs v Auckland Blues, McDonald Jones Stadium

Round 5: NSW Waratahs v Lions, Bankwest Stadium

Round 6: NSW Waratahs v Chiefs, WIN Stadium

Round 8: NSW Waratahs v Bulls, Scully Park, Tamworth

Round 9: NSW Waratahs v Sunwolves, SCG

Round 12: NSW Waratahs v Reds, Bankwest Stadium

Round 14: NSW Waratahs v Rebels, Brookvale Oval

Round 17: NSW Waratahs v Brumbies, Bankwest Stadium

For a full NSW Waratahs 2020 Super Rugby draw, click here.

To see the action-packed 2020 Bankwest Stadium Event Calendar, click here

Twenty-one regular-season games featuring 13 NRL clubs and with the Parramatta Eels, Wests Tigers, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and South Sydney Rabbitohs all calling Bankwest Stadium home at some stage in the 2020 season.

The 2020 NRL Draw released Tuesday has delivered a spectacular event calendar for Bankwest Stadium – the new home of sport and entertainment in Western Sydney.

You can see the full 2020 NRL Draw here

In a win for Blue and Gold fans, the mighty Eels will play 11 of their 12 home games at their spiritual heartland of Bankwest Stadium, with only their Round 7 Anzac Weekend game against the Broncos being played elsewhere . . . at TIO Stadium in Darwin.

Parra will open the 2020 season with a Thursday night blockbuster against Western Sydney rivals the Bulldogs on 12 March at 8pm . . . a game that will be built into a major event for the City of Parramatta.

The streets of Parramatta will be dressed in Blue and Gold and businesses will be encouraged to be part of a major celebration in the City.

In another great result for Parra fans, the Eels will play four Sunday afternoon blockbuster matches at Bankwest Stadium against the Dragons, Panthers, Sea Eagles and Tigers.

Five of the Eels’ last nine games will be played at home at Bankwest Stadium, including a Round 21 Saturday afternoon game against reigning premiers the Sydney Roosters on 8 August.

Wests Tigers will play four home games at Bankwest Stadium in 2020 including hosting the annual Easter Monday clash against the Eels.

It will be a genuine battle of the fans in the stands as Tigers Members and supporters will have priority Members’ seating as a result of being the home club and the Stadium will be themed in Tigers’ colours.

The Tigers will also play the Panthers in Round 14 on Friday 12 June, the Dragons in Round 15 in Thursday 25 June and a massive game against reigning premiers the Roosters in Round 18 on Friday 17 July.

With ANZ Stadium being decommissioned in late June to allow works to commence on the redevelopment of Sydney’s major stadium, the Bulldogs and Rabbitohs will move home games to nearby Bankwest Stadium after Round 15.

The Bulldogs, who boast an undefeated record at Bankwest Stadium, will play four home games at the Western Sydney stadium in 2020, with the first of these against the New Zealand Warriors on Friday 10 July.

Two Western Sydney Derbies at Bankwest Stadium in the lead in to the end of the regular season highlight the Bulldogs’ schedule, against the Penrith Panthers in Round 23 and Wests Tigers in Round 24.

The Rabbitohs will play two home games at Bankwest Stadium in 2020 – in Round 17 against the Tigers on Saturday 11 July and in Round 20 against the Storm on Thursday 30 July.

Souths’ first home game in particular will be a big event, taking on the Wests Tigers on Saturday 11 July at 7:35pm in the mid-year school holidays.

In all, 11 NRL clubs will feature at Bankwest Stadium in 2020, with fans of the Eels, Tigers, Bulldogs, Rabbitohs, Dragons, Panthers, Cowboys, Warriors, Sea Eagles, Roosters, Storm and Knights all getting the opportunity to experience the buzz of watching live NRL footy at Bankwest Stadium.

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs CEO Andrew Hill has made the following statement in relation to the Bulldogs’ home ground planning while ANZ Stadium undergoes redevelopment.

“Our 2020 season will see the Bulldogs play as many home matches as possible at ANZ Stadium prior to the re-development. Once the re-development has commenced the Bulldogs will be playing a match at the spiritual home of Belmore plus a game in Perth. All remaining matches will be at Bankwest Stadium.

“The club will then continue to work with Bankwest Stadium to finalise an agreement around the number of games to be played at the stadium in seasons 2021 and 2022 as a result of ANZ Stadium being unavailable.”

The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs will also look to continue to develop their footprint in Western Australia by taking a home match to HBF Park in Perth for the next three seasons.

With the re-development of ANZ Stadium due to take place after the Sydney State of Origin match next season, the Bulldogs will be forced to reconfigure their schedule of home matches.

The club will use this situation to continue to promote their brand in a new market by taking a match to Perth. This comes after the Bulldogs started last season with a Round One blockbuster against the Melbourne Storm in the Western Australian capital.

Mr Hill said his club was delighted to be able to continue to develop the Bulldogs’ brand in a market where the club already enjoys strong support:

”With the re-development of ANZ Stadium beginning halfway through next season we thought that it was important to plan well ahead in terms of where we are going to play our home matches in future seasons.

“With the club enjoying strong support in Perth we have worked closely with the McGowan Government to secure matches at HBF Park for the next three seasons.

“HBF Park is an excellent venue for rugby league matches and the Bulldogs are looking forward to the opportunity to continue to grow our footprint in what is a major sporting market.”

Bankwest Stadium will host one of the signature days on the NSW rugby calendar with confirmation that the 2019 Sydney Rugby Union Grand Final Day will be played at the venue on Saturday 24 August.

Four grades of rugby union grand finals will be played on the day starting at 9:00am with the showpiece Intrust Super Shute Shield Grand Final scheduled for a 3:10pm kick-off.

Tickets to the Sydney Rugby Grand Final Day are available via Ticketek here

“This was a unanimous decision by the SRU Board and we can’t wait to host our showpiece event at the new Bankwest Stadium,” said Chairman and President of Suburban Rugby Union, David Begg.

“We are sure the passionate Sydney rugby community will embrace this landmark event on the rugby calendar.”

Bankwest Stadium CEO Daryl Kerry said the venue is delighted to be hosting Sydney Rugby Union Grand Final Day.

“Bankwest Stadium was built for the fans and this special day on the rugby calendar will be bigger and better than ever in 2019,” Mr Kerry said.

“We wish all the teams vying for a spot in these Grand Finals all the best for the remainder of the season.”

Bankwest Stadium is Sydney’s new 30,000-seat boutique stadium at Parramatta, which has received wide-spread acclaim for the fan experience with the crowd closer to the action than ever before.

The NRL has confirmed the three pools which will make up the inaugural Downer Rugby League World Cup 9s Sydney 2019, to be held at Bankwest Stadium in Parramatta on October 18-19.

NRL CEO Todd Greenberg said today the format of the pools would ensure key rivals face each other in the fast-paced, action packed short form of Rugby League.

During the official launch of the tournament today in Parramatta, it was revealed that:
Group A would include Australia, New Zealand, PNG and USA
Group B would include England, France, Lebanon and Wales
Group C would include Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and Cook Islands

Mr Greenberg said the two highest-placed teams from Group A would progress to the Semi Finals, alongside the winners of Groups B and C.

The two highest placed teams from the Women’s pool, which features Australia, New Zealand, England and PNG, will feature in the women’s final.

The Downer Rugby League World Cup 9s Sydney 2019 was formally launched today in Parramatta featuring Damien Cook (Kangaroos), Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Kiwis), James Segeyaro (PNG), Maika Sivo (Fiji), Michael Jennings (Tonga), Anthony Milford (Samoa), Alex Glenn (Cook Islands), as well as Raecene McGregor (Kiwi Ferns).

Mr Greenberg said the pools were chosen to ensure exciting match-ups between traditional rivals.

He added all teams would play one match on Friday and a minimum of two matches on Saturday.

“The World Cup 9s will feature the most exciting players to watch in the game, representing their nations and their cultures,” Mr Greenberg said.

“It will be a festival of Rugby League and the fast-paced, frenetic nature of Nines will be fantastic to watch.

“This is Rugby League rebooted – a unique and exciting way to showcase our wonderful athletes.”

Mr Greenberg also detailed some of the key rules which will be in place during the Downer Rugby League World Cup 9s:
A Bonus Zone, giving teams the chance for a five-point try, will be included
A 20-40 rule, in addition to the 40-20
A 25-second shot clock on drop-kicked conversions
Golden Try in the event of a match drawn after regulation time.

The Downer Rugby League World Cup 9s Sydney 2019 has been secured for Sydney by the New South Wales Government.

Minister for Sport John Sidoti said Bankwest Stadium was the perfect venue for the inaugural Downer Rugby League World Cup 9s.

“What a moment for Bankwest Stadium to host this world-first event, and we expect more than 50,000 fans will be on the ground to enjoy it,” Minister Sidoti said.

“NSW is the proud home of rugby league in Australia, and the Nines will reinforce why teams and spectators flock here for the big games.”

Mr Greenberg said the support of Government as well as the RLIF was significant in allowing the Nines concept to prosper on an international stage.

RLIF Chief Executive Nigel Wood said: “The Nines format is a tremendous version of rugby league and the Downer World Cup 9s will provide fans and players with a further opportunity to enjoy international competition at the highest level.”

Mr Greenberg also thanked both Downer & Gallagher for their partnership of the event which allows the NRL to stage this historic tournament.

The Chief Executive Officer of Downer, Grant Fenn, is thrilled that Downer is continuing its support for rugby league.

“When you bring together the game’s best players, international rugby league’s greatest rivalries and the excitement of the Nines format, you will get a great weekend of footy,” Mr Fenn said.

Sarah Lyons, Chief Executive Australian Broking at Gallagher, said: “Gallagher has been protecting Rugby League in Australia for more than 30 years and we are proud to lead the field as the game continues to evolve and grow.

“We are delighted to be a partner of this year’s Rugby League World Cup 9s competition which reinforces our longstanding connection with rugby league and our commitment to creating a safe, risk-aware environment for grass roots through to elite players and the clubs that support them.”

Two-day passes for the Downer Rugby League World Cup 9s went on sale today for Members, and will go on sale for the General Public on Wednesday (July 24).

Single-day passes will be available to purchase for Members from August 5 and for the General Public from August 7.

Tickets will be available here.

The 12 teams in the men’s competition and four teams in the women’s tournament will compete across 28 matches and 12 hours of action.