The best rugby ground in the world.

That would include air/road/rail infrastructure, ease of access, crowd experience, playing surface and the other intangibles.

For me it's Le Parc des Princes.

A fantastically intense theatre with magnificent acoustics. Just a dream.

A biggish ground but somehow intimate all set around by Parisian bars, cafes and bistros.

Never been to Rome though...

Cardiff!
they build a castle centuries ago, built a rail way line to it, then built the millenium stadium next door

I haven't been to every rugby ground in the world so I couldn't possibly comment...if someone wants to pay to send me....

Thomond Park and no I'm not biased!

Seriously though,I lover Croker and old Lansdowne and I enjoyed Twickenham too.

Thomond wrote:Thomond Park and no I'm not biased!.

A vote for Thomond, by...erm...Thomond?

I guess it's hard not be a little biased on this one...and I will go for, unsuprisingly, the Millenium Stadium.

World class facilites, great crowd noise/signing, great city centre atmosphere, can roll out of the stadium into pubs. Location, location, location!

The only minuses I guess would be the turf coming up in some games.

Draigoch,I'm from Cork though,we're our own species.

Millenium stadium is awesome, just a shame about the pitch. Its location is perfect and the acoustics are very good. Sort out the pitch and ban the pink cowboy hats and its pretty much perfect, apart from all the welsh chaps of course.

As an englishman I love Twickenham but it is such a hassle to get to. The train is a good mile away so you just stay at the ground after a game drinking. Eventually make your way to the train station, intending to get a train to Clapham, fall asleep and wake up 6 hours later in a train storage shed in Portsmouth.

I don't know if it counts as a rugby ground but I will hopefull give you my wembley experience in a few months.

I saw a game at the old wembley. It was in 1999 and I prefer not to talk about it. It was awesome until the last few minutes and then it became dreadful.

Old Wembley was magic. It was old but it had an inbuilt aura built up over time. New Wembley is superb. Twickers is cold. So is Croke Park. No soul. Like Yank stadiums. I love the MS.Fantastic for rugby. Love the fact that its in the middle of a city. Growing to love New Lansdowne. Its funky and central too. That really matters.

Best club ground Ive ever been in, is Welford Road. ASM comes next. Then Toulouse. Agen for soul.Want to see them all in the NH. Seen a lot. But loads to go...

Love the MS as an International ground. Don't especially care for Twickenham or Murrayfield.

Love Rodney Parade as it's great for atmosphere. Loved Toulouse's ground, but I did wish it was a bit closer to the centre. Welford Road was ok too. I do prefer grounds with terracing really though.

Forgot Murryfield, Rev. Yeah. Cold too. It was warm to us in 2009, but thats personal. Love Edinburgh though. Best City in the UK, imo.

Wished I'd seen Rodney Parade before they started the refurbishment. Old School rugby ground with passionate fans. I love that.

I feel like I am on acid and on a constant rerun of 606 postings...

Parc des Princes by a mile or 1600 metres. Best ground, easiest to get to in a real city, great bars and food around, and best atmosphere, especially when La Marseillaise is blaring out

Thomond as a corkman you are a rarity saying the shiny shed is the best.

Best ground, easiest to get to in a real city

Unfortunatly, I've never been to Parc des Princes, but the Millennium Stadium must surely be on a par for ease of access.

Cardiff as a city, along with the quality of the Stadium makes every match an experience to remember in my eyes.. Agree with the comments about the pitch though.

Havent been to many others to compare, but i love the look of some of the french stadiums (stadia?) and Twickenham is top of my to do list.

Don't like new Wembley, soulless I thought. Although it was a sarries game and I had to endure that god awful song of their.

Twickenham I'll always be fond of. I went ill-attired once and got so cold my lips turned blue and had to run into the shop and buy a fleece...it's a bit nippy. Sounds great now it's fully enclosed.

Was at the Stade De France for a semi-final about 4 years ago, top row at the end of the pitch, it's quite a site having the whole steep sided stadium spread out in front of you....great atmosphere, but it as a WC semi final. Missed the beer though

The stadium over here in Hong Kong is kinda quaint, quite nice to stroll around you can see the pitch from almost everywhere.

Newlands in Cape Town. It probably doesn't stack up to all the other ground in terms of infrastructure etc, but in one it must be the clear winner - crowd experience. It probably (I think definitely) sells out more than any other stadium in the world and it is probably the only ground in the world where the host nation won't always get always have more supporters than the visiting team (only when NZ plays). I think I like the chirps the most when a NZ team visits, those Capetownians are really funny.

For me the stadium is not necessarily the big draw, it is as fern says the experience, the vibe and often who plays on the day.

One of the best experiences I had was at Loftus, a derby match between the Bulls and the Lions, there is no place with a more partisan crowd than Loftus, and it borders on unhealthy obsession, but makes for on hell of an experience.

I've been to most of the larger stadiums in SA, NZ, Australia and Europe.

My vote would have to go to Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

Accessible by bus, train, walking and even the ferry.

It lies at the bottom of Caxton St which is just a long hill of bars on each side of the road providing a great atmosphere both beofre and after events.

The stadium has a great surface, is bright and colourful, and with a capacity of around 52,500 is big enough to host the massive matches, State of Origin, Lions, Tri Nations, but small enough to retain it's great character.

Problem with the MS is it's in Cardiff....

The Rec at Bath. Just for the view. No bias at all.

Ravenhill

I’ve been to a few grounds, not loads but enough to have an opinion on which one I liked the most.

The Millenium stadium wins out for me, absolutely amazing atmosphere. My memory might be coloured by the fact that I saw the greatest game of rugby every played there. But still it’s number 1 for me as a rugby ground.

Croke park is the best stadium I’ve ever been in though, beats the Nou Camp, new Wembley, Lansdowne, Murrayfeild, Twickenham etc. hands down.

Factors that need to come into consideration:

History, Size, Facilities, Accessability, Proximity to pub district, Atmosphere and Aesthetics.

Internationally (in Europe anyway) the Millenium Stadium wins hands down when compared to Twickenham and Stade de France (awkward location), Stadio Flaminio (though maybe the new stadium will challenge it), Murrayfield (lacks appeal and often lacks atmosphere) and Aviva Stadium (too small and the bedpan end looks weird).

I think the “bed pan” looks class.

Everytime I see that stadium from the outside I think It looks amazing.

Bath - The Rec - Matchday - Pubs

PERFECT

Mickado wrote:I think the “bed pan” looks class.

Everytime I see that stadium from the outside I think It looks amazing.

Is it true that they grow cucumbers on the inside - only to be removed on match day? Looks a great stadium and knowing the Dublin craic, I bet it makes for a brilliant experience.

I note from wiki that Welford Road will be made up to 30000 for the 2015 RWC. The Swan and Rushes will be full then.

Mickado wrote:I think the “bed pan” looks class.

Everytime I see that stadium from the outside I think It looks amazing.

It does look amazing, especially from an aeroplane. When I flew out of Dublin last month, I had a fantastic view of the city and a great view of the whole bedpan. Can't wait to have a look inside it

Only the Irish could build a stadium where by the roof doesn't protect the fans for the elements.

Looks half finished too.

Exactly if there was any country that could do with a closed roof stadium it is Ireland. It was probably drag in more punters too safe in knowledge that a day at the rugby doesn't mean getting soaked through.

Mickado wrote:I think the “bed pan” looks class.

Everytime I see that stadium from the outside I think It looks amazing.

I agree - it looks amazing. Also the location is brilliant. Wish it had a terrace though and it is probably a bit too small.

The Millenium Stadium is probably the best rugby stadium - but I still prefer a stadium where the weather does have a say in proceedings. I also hate the way the players keep slipping on the surface.

Over all sports, still think you can't beat the atmosphere of Croke Park on All-Ireland final day. Its a super stadium and its got The Hill.

Portnoy - I still don't get the cucumber reference.

Sin, yeah it could definitely do with being a bit bigger, but it's rarely sold out so i suppose it's a decent size.

Croker is lethal for AIs,I thought the atmosphere was poor for Ireland games but great for the 09 semi.

Mickado wrote:Portnoy - I still don't get the cucumber reference.

Sin, yeah it could definitely do with being a bit bigger, but it's rarely sold out so i suppose it's a decent size.

Looks like a greenhouse is my guess.

Croker is a great Stadium. However not for Rugby. The pitch is too far away when marked out for Rugby.

I saw the All Blacks from the upper Davin. I'm not sure I was in the same county as them. loads of little black and green ants had a fight while I watched a Rugby match on a big telly.

Millennium gets my vote. Especially last May. And Lansdowne gets my vote for the prettiest. I have got used to the North stand end and it looks fine now. Part of the uniqueness. Does look a bit disconcerting at first though. I think I have been there about 12 times now and it's fine.

I like the new Lansdowne. Some brand new stadiums lack a bit of soul for some reason. The new Lansdowne has a bit of character I think, and a good atmosphere. I also like the way Leinster are unbeaten there. I hope they can keep that record up.

For atmosphere you can't beat some of the grounds in the south of France. Millenium stadium is the best rugby stadium in Europe though.

Mickado wrote:

Croke park is the best stadium I’ve ever been in though, beats the Nou Camp, new Wembley, Lansdowne, Murrayfeild, Twickenham etc. hands down.

It will be the best stadium in the world on the 18th of september
The atmosphere is going to be intense

The Old Arms Park international ground for me

D24tress wrote:

Mickado wrote:

Croke park is the best stadium I’ve ever been in though, beats the Nou Camp, new Wembley, Lansdowne, Murrayfeild, Twickenham etc. hands down.

It will be the best stadium in the world on the 18th of september
The atmosphere is going to be intense

But the question is best rugby stadium

cardiff without a doubt, but i am being biased being welsh but going there and and getting off the train walking through cardiff pre match is such a goot atmosphere and then once your inside the MS the atmosphere and the sound is amazing, yes the pitch is utter rubbish but such a place.

also want to say what a quality stadium wembley is, a bit of a walk from the station as they shut the wembley stadium station during macthes (WTF???) but inside really nice i mean one was in the club wembley area with the champange bars and seaford bars but was a really nice staidum (saw the challenge cup there)

I have to give an honourable mention to Thomond Park. It's great. Which is a bit annoying, since Leinster, the Champions of Europe, rent an equestrian arena. At least we can play big games in Lansdowne, but I'd love Leinster own a stadium like Thomond Park. Preferably in the heart of Dublin 4, just to annoy the Munster fans.

D24tress wrote:

Mickado wrote:

Croke park is the best stadium I’ve ever been in though, beats the Nou Camp, new Wembley, Lansdowne, Murrayfeild, Twickenham etc. hands down.

It will be the best stadium in the world on the 18th of september
The atmosphere is going to be intense

The dubs will be getting antsy by the end. What with the minor match and everything it will have been what 3/4 hours since they have touched a needle?

Thomond wrote:

D24tress wrote:

Mickado wrote:

Croke park is the best stadium I’ve ever been in though, beats the Nou Camp, new Wembley, Lansdowne, Murrayfeild, Twickenham etc. hands down.

It will be the best stadium in the world on the 18th of september
The atmosphere is going to be intense

The dubs will be getting antsy by the end. What with the minor match and everything it will have been what 3/4 hours since they have touched a needle?

You dissin me 'Hood, T? I was born a few hundred metres from Croke Park. In a house like. Not outside the ground...

I like Thomand Park also. State of de Ort and a great atmosphere. Specially for Munster v Leinster and on big HC days.

This topic comes up every year or so. I'd say the next one I'm going to be in

I really like our new Stadium in Dublin at Lansdowne Road, its excellent. Great views all round, great atmosphere, right size. But what the feic do I know eh? Haven't been to Cardiff, London, Paris etc. SH doesn't even come into it. Lots of grounds I have to visit yet!

For match atmosphere and general city ambience, a spring or autumn match in the rugby mad stadias of the south of France are hard to beat.

Not a full time rugby stadium, but the Velodrome in Marseilles was a great experience, as was Biarritz across the border in San Sebastian (just a shame about the track).

I've not been to Toulon yet, but have heard great things about the stadium there, right in the middle of town, literally a stone's throw from the marina and about 10mins walk to the beaches.

I haven't been to Cardiff, but to be honest I think it should be discounted for its turf. Been completely sub-par for years, you can barely stand up on it let alone scrummage and they still haven't sorted it out.