Singapore yesterday opened the doors to its state-of-the-art National Stadium for the first time, as the arena played host to a two-day international rugby 10s tournament.
Organizers said the inaugural World Club 10s, featuring eight professional teams from around the globe, is expected to draw about 12,000 people to the 55,000-seat arena over the weekend.
Participating teams include New Zealand’s Blues, captained by All Blacks scrumhalf Piri Weepu, Australian powerhouse the Brumbies and a selection of the Samoan national team. Also featuring are the Asia-Pacific Dragons, who are planning to enter the Southern Hemisphere Super Series with the new Singapore arena as its home base.
Singapore Rugby Union chief Low Teo Ping said the opening of the stadium was an “important moment” for sports in the wealthy island nation.
“A spanking new stadium equipped with ultramodern facilities and a retractable roof that can take care of the elements — fans have been waiting for this for a long time,” Low, who is also the vice-president of the Singapore National Olympic Council, told reporters.
The National Stadium, featuring a domed, retractable roof and air-conditioned seating, is the centerpiece of Singapore’s US$1 billion Sports Hub complex that is opening in stages this year. It is designed by London-based design and engineering firm Arup, which also played a part in designing Beijing’s iconic so-called “Bird’s Nest” Olympic Stadium.
The arena is designed like a horseshoe, with one side opening up to a view of Singapore’s glittering waterfront business district.
The 35-hectare Sports Hub complex also includes indoor arenas, an aquatics center and water sports facility, and a shopping mall. The Sports Hub complex is to host its first soccer match — between Italian side Juventus and a Singapore XI — on Aug. 16.
It is also to host tennis’ end-of-season WTA Championships in October, is the confirmed main venue for next year’s Southeast Asian Games and is also likely to hold high-key international rugby and Twenty20 cricket events, officials have said.
The facility is in Singapore’s riverside Kallang District on the site of the former national stadium, which was known for its famous “Kallang Roar” and fondly referred to as Singapore’s “Grand Old Dame.”
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