The Santos Festival of Rugby will return to Narrabri in 2025.
The two-day event is one of the biggest annual football and community gatherings in regional Australia and has driven millions of dollars in economic benefit for both Narrabri and Roma over the four editions to date.
The fifth staging, on the 20-21 September weekend, will again see the rivalry between New South Wales and Queensland as the centrepiece, with the Santos Cup at stake.
Queensland Rugby Union and the NSW Waratahs last month announced the return of the popular festival in Narrabri, alongside representatives of Santos.
The Queensland Reds and NSW Waratahs teams will clash in both men’s and women’s matches at Dangar Park, home of the Narrabri Blue Boars.
The multi-day formula has proved enormously popular with the Santos Festival of Rugby alternating between Narrabri (2021, 2023 and 2025) and Roma (2022 and 2024).
Eager fans should stay tuned over coming months for the full rollout of community events, country clashes, sevens rugby and family entertainment that will pack the two days.
“The Santos Festival of Rugby has truly carved out a place with the way it has brought top-tier rugby and the grassroots game to regional centres,” said Queensland Rugby Union chief executive David Hanham.
“We are proud to be delivering this unique event alongside Santos. The commitment to develop the game for rugby fans and families in the bush so they can enjoy it on and off the field is something we both strongly believe in.
“To have Australian rugby’s oldest rivalry between Queensland and NSW underpinning it is something all sports lovers can relate to.
“We are grateful to Santos for their ongoing support of a wonderful event.”
Santos executive vice president – eastern Australia and Papua New Guina Brett Darley said he was immensely proud of the festival for its impact drawing families and communities, valuable economic activity and first-rate rugby to Narrabri and the northern NSW region.
“Preparations are well underway to once again make Narrabri the rugby capital as we host the Queensland Reds and NSW Waratahs for a showdown in ‘Tahs Territory,” Mr Darley said.
“It’s one of the biggest events of the year in Narrabri – not just for rugby fans – but for businesses and tourism. The Festival of Rugby injects up to a million dollars into the local economy during each event so it’s a significant boost to the community.”
James Durbin, Rugby Australia director commercial and marketing, lauded the Santos Festival of Rugby as having an important impact on community values.
“Rugby Australia and the NSW Waratahs are committed to taking the game beyond the major cities of Australia and to the nation’s regional and rural centres,” Mr Durbin said.
“The Santos Festival of Rugby is an example of how the Waratahs are approaching this responsibility, as well as its continuing support for men’s and women’s rugby.
“The Festival not only presents two great games between two major States for the many rugby fans in Narrabri and its surrounds to watch.
“It will also do what rugby does so well … unite those communities as they cheer for one or the other of the sides but in a convivial and social environment.
“Rugby’s influence as a force of unity in rural Australia cannot be underestimated. The Festival champions the game’s core values.“
Queensland Reds flyhalf Jude Gibbs and Queensland Next Gen 7s player Emmisyn Wynyard joined NSW Waratahs players Fergus-Lee Warner and Brianna Hoy at Narrabri’s Dangar Park for the announcement.
The economic and wellbeing benefits to the communities hosting the Santos Festival of Rugby have been welcomed since the Narrabri Shire hosted the first event in 2021.
Each Festival is estimated to deliver an economic impact to the host region of more than $1 million.
Economic modelling from the inaugural 2021 Festival in Narrabri shows an economic impact of $1 million, including more than $375,000 in indirect spend to the town, another $375,000 spent on local suppliers for field works and festival-related products and services and an additional $200,000 on infrastructure upgrades.
The two previous festivals held in Roma, in Queensland’s Maranoa region, are estimated to have injected almost $2 million into the local economy.
They have drawn to Roma more than 6000 visitors who have made significant contributions by spending on food, beverages, accommodation and fuel.
On the field, the Reds claimed the Santos Cup with a 32-7 pre-season win over the Waratahs in Roma last year after coming off second best at the three previous festivals.
It was a rousing welcome to country rugby for Les Kiss as the new Reds coach.
“From the moment we arrived in Roma, we enjoyed wonderful hospitality and a show of what country rugby is all about. We are expecting the same welcome in Narrabri,” Kiss said.
