Carisbrook every major test-playing nation at Carisbrook. A later test match, destined to be the last at the ground, was scheduled between New Zealand and Fiji as a fundraiser for the Christchurch earthquake appeal on 22 July 2011. On 11 May 2011 the Dunedin City Council decided that Carisbrook would be sold after the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Demolition work was begun at the start of 2012, with the floodlight towers being dismantled and sent up to Christchurch for use by the new temporary Christchurch Rugby Stadium at Addington Showgrounds, to allow that city a first-class ground while AMI Stadium awaits
Rugby union in Spain was the 6th time that this stadium was sold out since its inauguration in 1982, including football matches. Tickets were sold out days before the match and prices rose in the Internet touting. King Felipe VI of Spain and prominent politicians like Spanish Socialist Workers' Party leader Pedro Sánchez and vice president Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría attended the match. The Spain national rugby union team represents the whole country and have been playing international rugby since the late 1920s. Their first match was in 1929 against Italy, which Spain won 9-0. Spain has thus far made one Rugby World Cup