Legendary rugby stadium now abandoned due to weeds due to pitch and safety complaints

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A legendary rugby stadium in South Africa now lies abandoned and covered in weeds, with local residents concerned about the safety of the haunted venue.

Cape Town's Newlands Stadium hosted 51,900 supporters during its heyday and hosted numerous memorable events.

Newlands Rugby Stadium was one of the most iconic in the worldCredit: Alamy

New Zealand, inspired by Jonah Lomu, defeated England in the semi-final of the 1995 World CupCredit: AFP

The stadium now stands deserted as a bitter row over it continuesCredit: tiktok

The field is covered in weeds and local residents complain about safetyCredit: tiktok

When South Africa won the World Cup on home turf in 1995, the country hosted four matches in that iconic tournament.

And England played there twice, famously beating Australia 25-22 in the quarter-final, before suffering heartbreak in the semi-final with a 45-29 loss to New Zealand.

The Western Province Rugby and Football Union purchased the land on which the ground was built in 1888 and hosted the first match there in 1890 when Stellenbosch defeated Villagers in front of 2,400 spectators.

The first rugby test took place the following year when the British Lions toured South Africa, but the first permanent concrete stands were not built until 1919.

It continued to develop over the century and then SA Rugby moved their headquarters to the ground in the 1970s.

A further 10,253 seats were added to the stadium in the 1980s, before undergoing continuous renovation for five years from 1990 in the run-up to the 1995 World Cup.

Local club Western Province played there but moved to the Cape Town Stadium three years ago – and now Newlands Stadium lies “neglected, with overgrown grass and reportedly suspicious activity” regarding local residents.

Now there is a major dispute over the fate of Newlands Rugby Stadium between the Western Province Rugby Union and some rugby fans over whether to sell it or keep it as a heritage site.

Municipal councilor Mikhail Manuel said this IOL: “While we all take into account the history and impact the site has, for the community it is not about the long-term plan, but rather about maintaining and making good use of the site to prevent unlawful activities that may occur over the course of can accumulate over time.

“There has already been suspicious behavior, unusual movements and it has been dangerously quiet on the streets for several months. Residents say it is no longer safe.

“We believe that the stadium should be put to good use for the benefit of the public, whether commercial or heritage related, but something needs to be done before activities get out of hand.”

Former Springbok star Wynand Claassen is believed to have first suggested and continues to support the idea of making Newlands Rugby Stadium a heritage site.

Chief executive officer of Heritage Western Cape, Michael Janse van Rensburg, confirmed that an application has been received, as he explained what is required for a place to be deemed a heritage resource.

He said: “It must be of cultural significance or special value to current communities and future generations.

“The National Heritage Resources Act 25 of 1999 provides the criteria for considering a place or object to be part of the national estate in s 3(3).”

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