Ellis Park: A Fortress of History and Intimidation
McCaw also holds South Africa’s Ellis Park in high regard. Located in Johannesburg, this is a venue drenched in history, perhaps most famously known as the site where South Africa won the 1995 Rugby World Cup. For McCaw, playing at Ellis Park was as intimidating as it was exhilarating.
“Ellis Park is one of the great stadiums to play test rugby at, even though it is tough and intimidating,” McCaw wrote on his Facebook page.
What makes Ellis Park so daunting? The high altitude of Johannesburg, combined with the passion of the home fans, gives the Springboks an edge. At 1,753 meters (5,750 feet) above sea level, it’s known to sap the energy of even the fittest athletes. The chants of “Bokke! Bokke!” resonate through the concrete structure, making it a cauldron for visiting teams.
The stadium’s open design ensures that no roof can muffle the roar of 60,000 fans. Built in 1928, Ellis Park remains one of the most storied and intense rugby environments in the world. It’s not just the physical challenge of playing at altitude—it’s the sense of history and national pride that you can feel in the air.
Lansdowne Road: Old-School Grit Meets Modern Marvel
Ireland’s Lansdowne Road, now replaced by the state-of-the-art Aviva Stadium, was another standout for McCaw. The flanker cherishes the memories of playing at both the old Lansdowne Road and its ultra-modern successor.
“There’s no doubt the current Aviva is an amazing place to play, but to have played at the old Lansdowne Road a couple of times… I was pretty lucky to get to play at both,” McCaw said, reflecting on the ground’s evolution.
The old Lansdowne Road was a stadium with character, grit, and history, where the noise from the crowd felt like it was pressing down on you from the rickety stands. Built in 1872, it was the oldest rugby stadium in the world before being replaced by the Aviva.
While the Aviva boasts a sleek, modern design with its eye-catching curved roof, McCaw still holds a soft spot for the original, especially with its unique location—straddling a train line. When Lansdowne was redeveloped, trains had to be factored into the design, making it a quirky feature of a world-class stadium.
