The Rugby World Cup has kicked off, with fans from around the world flocking to host cities in England and Wales. To celebrate, we travel abroad to four famous rugby stadiums and find the perfect city pad within a penalty kick of the stands!
Article written by The Overseas Guides Company
Aviva Stadium, Ireland
The Irish capital’s swanky Aviva Stadium is just five years old and sits on the same site as the original and historic Lansdowne Road stadium, which was built in 1872 and was, for a time, the oldest stadium in Europe. The first international rugby match was played at Lansdowne Road in 1878 and today the Aviva Stadium remains the home base of Ireland’s national team. Down the road in Adelaide Square is this serviced apartment complex, where a fifth-floor, two-bedroom property is currently for sale. It’s ideally located to catch a game and then head out for some fun in the lively city-centre pubs.
Stade de France, France
Many a cockerel has marched across the pitch at the Stade de France, home ground of the French national team ‘Les Bleus’ and the fifth largest stadium in Europe. Twenty years old this year, the ground is located in northern Paris, in the Saint-Denis district. We’ve found a cosy one-bedroom, top-floor apartment a few minutes north of the stadium. It comes with a terrace and good transport links into the city-centre. For more info, click here.
Newlands Stadium, South Africa
The largest rugby stadiums in South Africa – a nation that lives and breathes the game – are in Johannesburg, but the country’s oldest – and reportedly the world’s second oldest – is in Cape Town, a coastal city renowned for its waterside, cosmopolitan lifestyle. Newlands is steeped in rugby history – in 1891, the British Lions went head to head with the Springboks there, in the stadium’s first international test match. More recently, England lost the semi-final to New Zealand in the 1995 World Cup, won by hosts the Springboks. Today, the Newlands district, at the foot of the iconic Table Mountain, is an upmarket suburb of Cape Town. This stunning property is in the neighbouring district of Bishopscourt and boasts a four-bed main house, guest cottage, pool, and lovely grounds and views.
Eden Park, New Zealand
Eden Park in central Auckland is New Zealand’s largest stadium and has been a sports venue since 1900. In 2011, it became the first stadium in the world to host two Rugby World Cup finals, both won by the home team the All Blacks, making it even more of a sacred place to the rugby adoring New Zealand nation. Like Eden Park, this traditional style, three-bedroom house is in the Kingsland district of Auckland.
Elaine Ferguson, Head of the Resource Centre at OverseasGuidesCompany.com, concluded: “There’s little doubt that having a major sports venue gives a city an exciting edge, especially when an international tournament is on. And being near a stadium brings with it rental potential too – fans and teams all need somewhere to stay! ”
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