Beautiful Rugby Grounds

The venue for the Force v Highlanders game in Queenstown would have to be one of the most picturesque rugby grounds I've seen. Right up there with Riley Oval at UWA. (To help us decide which is better, a tour has been organised where we'll spend three days in Queenstown to ski, play golf and compare venues before flying to Auckland to watch the Bledisloe Cup on August 2. See Travel & Sports Australia for tour details. Only about 10 spots left.)

Vancouver Rowing Club Rugby ground in Canada would also make my top three. Any others out there worthy of a mention?

I can put up with your product flogging, but Riley oval?

The industry making speakers for stereo systems or farming.
Freezing cold at the bottom of a valley in the Yorkshire Dales.
Their players as hard as nails...Wharfedale Rugby Club.

http://gotheforce.com/uploaded/3/1206336664.jpg

Picturesque it may have been never want to go there again to get flogged!!! :rolleyes:

Yes, Riley Oval. (When competition games were played there.) The big old trees along the sidelines (if the ball hit the leaves it was declared out), views across the Swan towards the city or RPYC, the old sandstone buildings. Had a real county feel about it.
Product floggings aside, it is one of my favourite grounds.

The trip sounds great Mick. Unfortunately im married. Good luck with the tour.
Most beautiful ground ive ever seen was the Darjeeling Cricket Ground 2200 metres above sea level. Backdrop... K2 and the rest of the Himalayas.

I played several games of Goyder cup rugby on Riley oval many years ago, and watched and played many more grade games there over the years.

My memories of it are of the sticks on the field from those wretched ill positioned trees causing puncture injuries to players, and a superb view of the public toilets diagonally across the road.

I remember the near impossibility of finding any public parking much closer than Steve's hotel and of having to walk 300 meters to the showers.

I remember the complete lack of shelter other than from the self same trees which dripped continously, long after the showers had passed.

I remember having to go home after a game there, or adjourning to Steve's for a drink,as there was nowhere on campus where visiting players were welcome (and I suppose because the cars were parked there anyway).

I remember running across froim the ground to the public toilets in response to the terrified screams of a weedy little man being pummelled by self professed "poofter bashers" and, with the assistance of several mates, escorting him to safety.

Ah for the gift and the joy of being able to recall things through the lens of a poet's eye.

That's very funny, FS.

I'm sure my first girlfriend wasn't as stunning as I remember either. My aging mind is very kind to my memories. I kinda like it that way.

And THL, couples are more than welcome. A few have already signed up.

Cheers

Oh, and for the record, I also like Cott's home ground. Having a beer after the game, watching the sunset over the ocean. (Playing when there was a howling sou'wester and rain coming in so hard it almost cut you in half wasn't pleasant, but on a good day the view helped ease the pain of the beating.)

i agree with your post on cotts home ground preseason training there was good because you had the weather the beach the girls on the beach the sunsets and some top people i also have bad memories of riley oval when i was last there as a 6 year old kid there was a massive electrical storm over head and the tree i was sheltering under was struck by lightning causing a sizable branch to fall down about 2 meters from me very scary as a 6 yo queenstown was pretty spectacular

Yes, being beaten at Cott was a regular occurance for me too in those days. And their views on a good day are pretty spectacular.

Actually, nonsense aside, Rielly was (is) an attractive ground and very picturesque, despite some slight logistic difficulties.

If the criteria is just the scenery....Queenstown is good, if you included drinks available....it's out. Drinks Speights, ya have no mates....there will be photographic eveidence real soon.