A record crowd for all sporting events at Allianz Stadium is a serious possibility for Saturdays Australia-Ireland Test in what will be the last international rugby match at the ground.
The number to beat is 44,063, which is how many turned up for the final Test of the 2016 series against England.
Ready: The Wallabies go through their paces at Allianz Stadium on Friday.
Photo: AAP
The remarkable thing about that evening was the match was a dead rubber. The brilliant rugby played by England and the off-field sledging between Michael Cheika and Eddie Jones contributed to the added interest.
After winning the first Test 18-9 in Brisbane two weeks ago, the Wallabies went down to Ireland by five points in Melbourne to set up a gripping decider.
Rugby Australia has been thrilled with ticket sales for the Ireland series and the deciding fixture in Sydney is a sell-out.
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Single seat tickets have also been exhausted, meaning there is every chance the magic number will be broken for the blockbuster match.
RA is relying on a healthy number of members to show up to ensure the record is beaten.
Allianz Stadium is set to be knocked down in 2019, and there will be a three-year wait for a new stadium to be built.
Asked whether a final Test match at the ground added any significance to the occasion, Wallabies captain Michael Hooper said: “I havent thought about that to be honest. I love playing at this stadium, but rugby is changing up and doing different things”.
The first Test at the Sydney Football Stadium was in 1989 between the Wallabies and the British and Irish Lions. Australia won the match 30-12 and have been victorious in 18 of the other 25 Tests they have played at the venue.
Tom Decent is a journalist with Fairfax Media.
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