Whangarei’s Toll Stadium will be where the British & Irish Lions will be kicking off their 2017 tour of New Zealand, at a ground formerly known as Okara Park.
Warren Gatland's men will be getting their first run-out in the famous red jersey when they line up against the New Zealand Barbarians, in what is the biggest match in their hosts' 80-year history.
The stadium was built in 1965 and has been home to the Northland (formerly North Auckland) Mitre 10 Cup team ever since.
Download our Official App for iPhone or Android!
It currently has a capacity of 30,000, but its record attendance came in 1972 when North Auckland defended the Ranfurly Shield against Auckland, with around 40,000 in attendance.
And following a NZ$16 million redevelopment in 2008 that saw a new grandstand built, Toll Stadium has hosted some significant events, not least when it hosted two matches – Tonga v Canada and Tonga v Japan – during the pool stage of the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
It has frequently hosted matches in both codes for the Maori All Blacks and it held it’s first-ever rugby league international when New Zealand played Samoa as part of the 2014 Four Nations.
This won't be the first time the curtain has been brought up on a Lions tour at this venue, as North Auckland – a team that included All Blacks' lock Ian Jones – were defeated 30-17 in the opening match in 1993 in what was the tourists’ most recent visit to Whangarei.
Toll Stadium is a venue where the Lions have never lost, with their first match there coming during the 1966 tour, which saw a team captained by Mike Campbell-Lamerton triumph 6-3, and the 1971 Lions legends also edged an 11-5 victory.
Toll Stadium, Whangarei
Founded: 1965
Capacity: 30,000
Games: June 3 – The British & Irish Lions v New Zealand Barbarians
