August 26 2021 | Mike Colman

August 26 2021 | Mike Colman

26/08/2021

I reckon rugby fans and sport lovers in general are in for the experience of a lifetime when the Wallabies, Springboks, All Blacks and Pumas play an historic double-header at Suncorp Stadium on September 18 – and I’m speaking from personal experience...

In 2015 I was lucky enough to cover the Rugby World Cup in the UK and on the weekend of the semi-finals it was those same four teams battling it out for a place in the final. On the Saturday afternoon the Kiwis and South Africans turned on a classic, with the All Blacks just getting the points.

Twenty-four hours later it was the turn of the Aussies and Argentinians, with the Wallabies earning a place in the final thanks to an intercept try by Rob Simmons after just two minutes and a match-clinching five-pointer to Adam Ashley-Cooper (one of three he scored on the day) following an amazing jinking cross-field run by Drew Mitchell.

The excitement of those back-to-back matches and the atmosphere permeating a packed Twickenham – the “home of rugby” – over those two days is something I’ll never forget. The thought of experiencing something similar – this time on the same day – is mind-boggling.

The reigning world champion Springboks, the awesome All Blacks on a high after a record 19th straight Bledisloe Cup win, the always entertaining Pumas and a young Wallaby side making strides under coach Dave Rennie – I reckon it adds up to potentially the biggest feast of footy in Queensland rugby history.

What do YOU reckon?

Agree: Absolutely. To see two top-level Tests in a double-header at Suncorp Stadium will be the best rugby we have experienced in Brisbane since the 2003 World Cup. To see the All Blacks and Springboks both beaten on the one day would be pretty special too.
 
Disagree: It will be a feast of rugby alright - with the All Blacks and Springboks gnawing on the bones of the Pumas and Wallabies. No question the atmosphere will be out of this world, but anyone thinking they will see an upset is kidding themselves.