Liam Messam of the Chiefs runs the ball during the round 10 Super Rugby match between the Crusaders and the Chiefs earlier this year. Photo/Martin Hunter/Getty Images
Liam Messam of the Chiefs runs the ball during the round 10 Super Rugby match between the Crusaders and the Chiefs earlier this year. Photo/Martin Hunter/Getty Images
The Gallagher Chiefs will play one of their two pre-season games in the Bay of Plenty against the Waratahs on February 12.
But Chiefs CEO Andrew Flexman would not say whether that would be in Tauranga or Rotorua.
We have always been pretty outspoken that we are not hugely enamoured with Baypark as a venue... to get a viable venue at Tauranga Domain, then we would be very supportive of that initiative for sure.
"For a whole lot of reasons that are reasonably sensitive atthis stage, I can't actually divulge what the intended venue is as we have a whole process we need to work through pretty quickly," Flexman said.
"We have always been pretty outspoken that we are not hugely enamoured with Baypark as a venue. If there as a commitment from the local authorities and indeed third party potential investors or funders to get a viable venue at Tauranga Domain, then we would be very supportive of that initiative for sure."
The Chiefs also announced today they will play the BNZ Crusaders in Fiji at ANZ Stadium, Suva on Friday July 1 next year in their Round 15 Investec Super Rugby match.
Tauranga's biggest ever rugby crowd - 23,000 - packed into the Tauranga Domain to watch the Lions in 1971. Photo/Tauranga District Libraries
The unique fixture is the result of an extensive amount of work by multiple parties who were eager to have more top class rugby in the Pacific Islands.
"We know how much the Pacific Island people love their rugby and this year's test match between Manu Samoa and the All Blacks was testament to that," Flexman said.
"This is a great opportunity to take the Gallagher Chiefs to Fiji and help promote the game in their country. Fijians have added a huge amount to New Zealand's rugby heritage and it is fitting that we can give something back as well as expose our brand in a new territory.
"The fixture is a culmination of a lot of hard work by numerous parties, none more so than the game promoter Fortress Information Systems and the Government of Fiji. We should also acknowledge the New Zealand Rugby Players Association and our players for their support in this venture."
