(CNN) -- Soccer City, once the venue of South Africa's most significant black freedom rallies, will next month host a sport that was open only to whites in the country's apartheid-rule era. Rugby officials announced on Wednesday that South Africa's Springboks will take on New Zealand's All Blacks at the Johannesburg soccer stadium, which stages the 2010 World Cup final this weekend. The rebuilt ground, scene of Nelson Mandela's first speech in the city after his release from prison in 1990, is situated near the predominantly black township of Soweto. "This is an historic day and one in which the whole of South Africa can celebrate," South African Rugby Union president Oregan Hoskins said in a statement on the ruling body's website.
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Soccer City will host a rugby union international between South Africa and New Zealand
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Johannesburg stadium was the scene of South Africa's most famous freedom rallies
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Rugby in the country has traditionally been dominated by whites
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The August 21 fixture will be Springboks' first home game of 2010 Tri-Nations series
They have had to make major sacrifices on some of their contractual rights but the way they have supported us in recognizing the potential benefits of this move -- not just for rugby, but for @placeholder -- has been magnificent."