 |
| Ellis Park during the first test against the Wallabies on 22 August 1953. |
|
Coca-Cola Park and rugby are synonymous. The only time when rugby was not played at Coca-Cola Park was during 1980 and 1981 when the new stadium was under construction. |
|
| It was a long and hard battle to establish a rugby domain for the Transvaal Rugby Football Union which was formed in 1889. The first games were played at the Wanderers Club whose grounds were situated where Johannesburg Park station is today. Rows between the different rugby clubs as well as the Wanderers Club's claim of the field for the use of cricket games, forced the TRFU to look for an alternative. |
 |
| Transvaal on the attack against the All Blacks of 1928. This match was the first international game to be played at Ellis Park. |
|
|
An area with a quarry and garbage dumps in Doornfontein was identified in 1927 as the possible alternative. The TRFU negotiated with the Johannesburg City Council's, Mr JD Ellis, (after whom Ellis Park was named) for the availability of these grounds and 13 acres was made available. On 10 October 1927 the final rental agreement was signed. A quote of £600 was accepted for the grass and with a loan from the city council to the amount of £5 000, the building of the new stadium could commence. The stadium was built in eight months and in June 1928 the first test was played against the All-Blacks. Thus was born Coca-Cola Park which became internationally renowned and synonymous with rugby. Crowds of between 38 000 and a record crowd of 100 000 against the British Lions (in 1955) attended the matches.
|
 |
| On 6 August 1955 , during the first test between the Springboks and the Lions, more than 90 000 spectators attended the match. |
|
Coca-Cola Park played the host for cricket matches after an agreement was reached between TRFU and The Transvaal Cricket Union. From 1947 when the cricket pitch was laid until 1956, Coca-Cola Park was host to various cricket matches with the final games played in the 1953/54 series against New-Zealand. Cricket then moved to its new venue where the current Wanderers still is today.
On 28 April 1969 the TRFU formed a stadium committee to investigate the possibilities of a new stadium since the one in use did not meet all the modern requirements. Only fifteen years later, after the game between Transvaal and the World Team on 31 March 1979, the old Ellis Park was demolished. Games were played at the Wanderers while the new stadium was being built. |
|
A new TRFU management was elected in 1984 with Dr Louis Luyt as Chairman and Prof Joe Poolman as his deputy. The decision was taken to place Coca-Cola Park under the management of a trust. In 1987 after Coca-Cola Park was listed on the stock exchange and due to sound financial management by Dr Luyt, Coca-Cola Park could announce that the debt to the amount of R53 million was fully paid and a further 86 suites could be erected.
|
 |
| A model of the 1980 stadium. |
|
|
|
Today the Golden Lions Rugby Union (Transvaal Rugby Union before) and Ellis Park World of Sport (Pty) Ltd are debt free and have cash resources of more than all the other Unions and SARFU combined as well as borrowing powers of a similar amount.
In 1995 rugby fever hit the country with South Africa's hosting of the Rugby World Cup, the biggest event on the rugby calendar. Coca-Cola Park was the venue for the World Cup Final which was played on 24 June 1995. In this spectacular final, New Zealand and South Africa ran onto the field at 14:45 to a thunderous roar of 62 000 spectators and millions of spectators glued in front of their TV's. South Africa won this game 15-12 after extra time was allowed.
Coca-Cola Park and the quality of rugby it represents became the symbol of South Africa's achievement as a nation united.
In 2005 Coca-Cola Park made history by becoming the first black owned stadium in South Africa. The Golden Lions Rugby Union passed the management of the Ellis Park Precinct to a company with 51% black ownership. Interza Lesego, Orlando Pirates FC and Ellis World of Sport (Pty) Ltd make up the new management of the Ellis Park Precinct.
Today Coca-Cola Park is the home grounds of the Golden Lions, Lions, Orlando Pirates Football Club and is also the premier concert event in South Africa. |