From Black Caps to Chiefs: how Bay Oval has been transformed from cricket for Super Rugby

Friday, 25 April 2025

All Blacks first-five eighth Damian McKenzie has re-signed with the Chiefs and New Zealand Rugby through 2029. The four-year contract extension commits him to the next Rugby World Cup in 2027 and the tour by the British & Irish Lions in 2029.

Jared Carter has felt a bit out of sorts over the past three weeks as he’s watched the grass grow.

The turf manager at Bay Oval has overseen the transformation of his beloved cricket pitches and outfield into a surface that will host the Chiefs in Tauranga for the first time in more than a decade when they play their Super Rugby Pacific match against the Western Force on Friday night.

“It's a bit of a weird one,” Carter admitted.

“It's just really about letting the grass grow over the majority of it, but with more fertiliser, letting the grass get longer so we cut higher.

“We're softening up the cricket block area, so plenty of water in that, and some softening stuff and a little spiking in there as well.”

The venue hosted the final match of New Zealand Cricket’s international summer programme earlier this month when the Black Caps played Pakistan in an ODI.

Bay Oval hosted the Black Caps against Pakistan in an ODI earlier this month, before being transformed into a rugby ground.

But Carter and the Bay Oval ground crew had been preparing prior to that, laying the concrete for the rugby goalposts to be put into.

They’ve been ultra careful in ensuring the posts are lined up and the ground markings are correct.

Like a lot of the North Island, the Tauranga region received “a huge amount of rain” over the long Easter weekend.

“So we haven't been able to really do a great deal. But that's actually only going to help soften it up. The hardest part is just getting grass back on those last two strips [pitches].

“There's just days that you can't get at it, so, you've just got to basically sit and be patient, which sometimes isn't a bad thing either.”

Carter said the venue has also accommodated a taller TV camera tower and coaches' boxes have been installed on scaffolds.

A fine, partly cloudy day was forecast for Friday, with a 7:05pm kick-off, and Chiefs head coach and former Bay of Plenty player and coach Clayton McMillan is excited to bring his troops across the Kamai Ranges.

“It's great to bring Super Rugby back to my home region and know that our fans will appreciate the opportunity to see the team play in their backyard at this premier sports ground.”

Bay Oval Trust general manager Kelvin Jones said the game will highlight the versatility of the venue as a truly community asset. “After two recent international T20 cricket sellouts, we look forward to seeing the embankments full for this match.”

Chiefs CEO Simon Graafhuis said the club was always conscious of trying to take games to their regional communities.

“So we are thrilled to be back in Tauranga. It is an important part of the Chiefs region from a fan standpoint, and many of our commercial partners have a strong presence in the area, so are very supportive of this event to be held there.”