March 30, 2013, was the last time the Chiefs played a rugby match in Tauranga, with a crowd of 15,000 showing up at Baypark to watch the home side beat Auckland’s Blues 23-16.

More than a decade later, the chance to play at a “cherished” and “iconic” Mount Maunganui cricket venue, of all locations, will see the Chiefs return to Tauranga on Anzac Day.

For the first time, a Super Rugby Pacific match will be played at Bay Oval, a 12,000-capacity venue that recently hosted two international T20 cricket sell-outs.

Kelvin Jones, the Bay Oval Trust general manager, said the region has been starved of top-quality rugby for a long time.

“This is a great way to utilise a multimillion-dollar community asset for more than just cricket.”

He said the main driver behind the decision to have the Chiefs play at Bay Oval was the opportunity to have a night game.

“Really, as a night game, the Bay Oval was in a way the only option in that sense because we have lights. There’s no other venue capable of fitting that bill.”

Jones said from Bay Oval’s point of view the timing was right.

“It had to come after a cricket season. We’ve got international cricket in early April so the game had to come after that.

Bay Oval general manager Kelvin Jones in 2019. Photo / NZME

“We then completely renovate our wickets after the cricket season, so rugby can’t really damage it.”

Transforming Bay Oval grounds from a cricket pitch to a temporary suitable rugby field would take some work.

“We have to put some goalposts in, do some field marking, and grow the grass.

“We’ll have to make sure the cricket wickets are a bit softer than they normally would be, but those things are manageable. There’s a bit of work involved but all doable and all reasonably straightforward,” Jones said.

“We’ve got five months after the game, to get the ground back up and ready again for the next cricket season.”

For the first time, a Super Rugby Pacific match will be played at Bay Oval.

A Mount Maunganui Cricket Club representative said that as long as cricket was not negatively affected, the club was fully supportive of the venue being used for multiple purposes.

“Bay Oval hosting a Super Rugby game is certainly a surprise, but it’s fantastic to see a venue cherished by the cricket community gain exposure to a broader audience.”

While rugby was tougher on turf than cricket, he was not expecting any damage to carry over into next summer’s cricket season.

“Bay Oval has hosted other winter codes before, such as AFL training, and Fifa events, and its cricket standards have remained top-notch.”

In 2023, a $240,000 government grant allowed the Oval to be transformed into a Fifa Women’s World Cup training ground for the Netherlands team, though the team’s coach criticised the grounds in international media.

The Netherlands Oranje Leeuwinnen (Orange Lionesses) football team at a training session at the Bay Oval in July 2023. Photo / Alex Cairns

The Chiefs will play the Western Force in round 11 of the 2025 DHL Super Rugby Pacific competition on April 25.

Simon Graafhuis, Chiefs Rugby Club chief executive, said the Bay Oval was a premiere sporting venue that provides all the facilities required to operate a Super Rugby match.

“Most importantly, including lights to enable a night game to be played.”

He said Tauranga is the second biggest city in the Chiefs’ region, and a significant portion of the fan base lives there.

“We are always conscious of trying to take games to our regional communities and aim to do so each season.

“We explored multiple locations around our regions that met our operational requirements and ensured we spread our presence across our six provincial regions from season to season.”

The match follows last year’s stellar season for the Bay of Plenty Steamers, during which the team reached the NPC final and Tauranga Domain hosted five games.

Tauranga rugby fan Terry Leaming – better known as Hori BOP, the unofficial mascot for the Steamers and an occasional mayoral candidate – said the Chiefs playing in Tauranga was “brilliant” and “well overdue.”

Terry Leaming as Hori Bop, the Bay of Plenty Steamers' unofficial 'mascot'. Photo / Mead Norton

“Having any top-flight sports event in Tauranga has got to be brilliant for the city.”

He said he did not consider Bay Oval a particularly suitable location for the game, but believed it was “probably the only option we’ve got in Tauranga at the moment”.

“The Chiefs having to use the Bay Oval should be a glowing endorsement of wanting a rectangular stadium in this city, and us needing a stadium that can cater for any sporting event.

“Bay Oval will do the job in the meantime.”

The Chiefs Rugby Club worked with the Bay Oval Trust, Tauranga City Council, and ticketing provider Flicket to bring the match to Tauranga.

Nelita Byrne, venues and events manager at the city council, said the venue selection process was done by the Chiefs, who contacted the council when Bay Oval was confirmed as the preferred option.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for local fans to experience rugby at home, without needing to travel out of town.

“We’re working with Bay Oval and the Chiefs to ensure everything is in place to host this event successfully.”

Mayor Mahe Drysdale said he was excited for the community to experience Super Rugby in Tauranga at “the iconic Bay Oval”.

Details:

What: DHL Super Rugby Pacific Round 11, Gallagher Chiefs vs Western Force

When: Friday, April 25, kick-off at 7.05pm

Where: Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui

Tickets: On sale from January 23 at chiefs.flicket.co.nz