Springboks to face Wallabies at sold-out Suncorp Stadium

Kicking off at 06:30, Saturday's Test match will be the first time that Suncorp Stadium has sold out for a Wallabies Test match since 2013 against the British & Irish Lions, and is on track to be the largest crowd for a Wallabies home Test against South Africa since 2006 at Accor Stadium.

The sold-out first Test of The Rugby Championship continues the trend of large attendances at international Rugby events - more than 2.4 million people attended the 2023 Rugby World Cup, more than half a million attended the six days of the Olympic Rugby Sevens in Paris, while the Wallabies played in front of the largest Australian Rugby crowd in 22 years against the All Blacks at the Melbourne Cricket Ground last year (84,000).

The Wallabies head into The Rugby Championship after three consecutive wins in the July Test Series - twice over World Cup foes Wales, and once over the emerging Georgia, and head coach Joe Schmidt will be looking to continue building his squad after his first three games in charge.

The Suncorp Test is the first match of The Rugby Championship for both the Wallabies and the back-to-back Rugby World Cup Champion Springboks. The Rugby Championship returns to a full home-and-away format for 2024, following the shortened tournament last year due to the World Cup.

Following the Brisbane clash, both sides will head to Perth for a second meeting in as many weeks on 17 August at Optus Stadium. The Wallabies then head to Argentina for two Tests against Los Pumas, while the Springboks return home to host the All Blacks.

The Wallabies will return home for their final Test on home soil in September, with the first Bledisloe Cup Test against the All Blacks on Saturday afternoon 21 September at Accor Stadium, before The Rugby Championship concludes a week later in Wellington with the return Bledisloe leg.

Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh, says Brisbane has again demonstrated its phenomenal support for the Wallabies and Rugby.

"This year we have seen Brisbane once again throw their support behind the Wallabies," he said.

"I think the response to this match shows that Australians and Queenslanders are right behind this Wallabies squad. We are still building under Joe [Schmidt], and we have started the season reasonably well against Wales and Georgia, however, the two-time defending Rugby World Cup Champions are a new and exciting challenge.

"Hopefully the beautiful Queensland weather on a Saturday afternoon should make for some entertaining daytime footy, and quite a spectacle for the fans in attendance.

"I must thank our government partners in Queensland, especially Tourism and Events Queensland and the Brisbane Economic Development Agency, for their support in bringing big Rugby events to Brisbane. I am sure that a 50,000-strong Gold Army will play a huge role in lifting the Wallabies in Brisbane."

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