Athletic Park

Athletic Park opened on 6 April 1896 and was owned by the Athletic Park Company until 1908, when the Wellington Rugby Football Union took ownership. It hosted the first All Blacks home Test in 1904 and became a regular international venue. The famous Millard Stand, completed in 1961 and named after Wellington RFU administrator J. N. Millard, replaced the Western Bank, a section so popular that fans would camp overnight to secure a spot. The regular patrons, known as 'Bankers', were considered particularly knowledgeable about rugby. The ground hosted 42 All Blacks Tests, including the famous 43-6 win over Australia in 1996 and the 1961 'Cyclone Test' against France, played in hurricane-force winds of up to 79 mph. Towards the end of its life, the stadium fell into poor condition, and a decision was made to build a new stadium near Wellington railway station. Athletic Park closed permanently in 1999 and was demolished.

Athletic Park hosted 42 All Blacks Test matches over 95 years, from 1904 to 1999. The ground's record crowd of 59,000 came in 1959 for a match against the British Lions. The 1961 Test against France was nicknamed the 'Cyclone Test' as it was played in hurricane-force winds of up to 79 mph, with Don Clarke famously kicking a sideline conversion almost parallel to the try line, the wind curling the ball between the posts. The steep Millard Stand, completed in 1961, used to sway in Wellington's notorious winds. The Western Bank was so popular that fans would camp at the ground overnight to secure a spot, and its regular patrons, known as 'Bankers', were considered the most knowledgeable rugby fans in New Zealand. The site is now a retirement village.