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| Ellis Park: history |
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Ellis Park has always been known as a home of rugby; built in 1980 and
1981, it was the headquarters of the Transvaal Rugby Football Union,
which was formed in 1889.
THE first rugby games were played at the old Wanderers Club, whose grounds are today Johannesburg’s Park Station. But a stadium dedicated to rugby was needed and an area in Doornfontein was identified in 1927 for that purpose. Negotiations were held between the union and the Johannesburg city council's, JD Ellis -after whom Ellis Park was named - and 13 acres were set aside; the rental agreement was signed on 10 October 1927. The stadium was built in eight months and in June 1928 the first test was played against New Zealand’s All Blacks. In 1947, an agreement was reached between the rugby union and the Transvaal Cricket Union. A cricket pitch was laid out and from that year until 1956, Ellis Park hosted various cricket matches. The final cricket games were played in 1953/54 against New Zealand. The old stadium was demolished on 31 March 1979, to make way for a bigger, more modern facility. Louis Luyt was elected as the union chairman in 1984, and a decision was taken to place Ellis Park Stadium under the management of a trust. In 1987, it was listed on the Johannesburg stock exchange, the JSE. On 24 June 1995, it hosted the Rugby World Cup Final, and then president Nelson Mandela came out wearing the number six jersey. South Africa won the cup against New Zealand and Ellis Park became a symbol of a united South Africa. Four years later, on 17 August 1999 it was the venue of a ceremonial farewell football match played for Mandela in which the Nelson Mandela African XI played the World All Stars XI. Some of Africa’s top footballing stars, including local heroes Lucas Radebe and Mark Fish, and Kalusha Bwalya and Tijani Babangida took to the field as part of the Nelson Mandela XI. The World All Stars included Rigoberto Song, Dunga, Luis Hernandez and Claudio Suarez. It has also hosted several other mesmerising football matches. Bafana Bafana held Argentina to a 1-1 draw in 1995, and then drew 0-0 with then FIFA World Cup holders France in 2000 in international friendlies. It is the home ground of Orlando Pirates FC, a club in the Premier Soccer League. In 1995, they were the first South African team to win the CAF African Club Championship. In 2005 it became the first black-owned stadium in South Africa when the Golden Lions Rugby Union passed management of the Ellis Park Precinct to a company with 51 percent black ownership. Interza Lesego, Orlando Pirates FC and Ellis Park Stadium (Pty) Ltd make up the new management. Today Ellis Park is the home grounds of Orlando Pirates Football Club, and rugby clubs the Lions and the Cats. Sources |
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