By Clarence Williams 

Powerhouse international rugby once again will return to the U.S. market this spring, as perennial top tier squads Wales and South Africa announced a June clash at a legendary site in the nation’s capital.

Recent rumors and speculation about the match, and host city, were confirmed during a press conference Monday at the South African Embassy in Washington D.C., where South African U.S. Ambassador Mninwa Johannes Mahlangu hosted Wales First Minister Carwyn Jones.

“First, it’s great for us to raise Wales’ profile in the big market that is the states. Second it’s great for rugby in the states,” Jones said in an interview. “Twenty years ago if someone had said to me that two international teams would be playing in the states, it would be fanciful. It shows how far rugby has come in the states.”

It will be a ground-breaking fixture in the United States! https://t.co/AVfnBgN1aM

— WalesOnline Sport (@WelshSportLive) February 26, 2018

Organizers are hoping to mirror the success of previous international games that featured New Zealand and Ireland in an epic upset that sold out 61,000 seats at Soldier Field in Chicago, as well as a visit from the All-Blacks who dismantled the Eagles the previous fall.

“The level of organization has been fantastic. I have to say, we saw the two games at Soldier Field ... they were a great success,” Jones said. “There’s a proven track record here of hosting games with good crowds and sell out crowds.”

These nations will face off at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium on June 2, an aging yet historic venue that for decades hosted Washington’s NFL franchise. It was also the home ballpark for MLB's Washington Nationals and the venue for D.C. United and World Cup soccer games and many international friendlies.

The match will face an economic test, as the event will compete during a busy weekend in the U.S. rugby calendar. Both the widely popular Collegiate Rugby Championships and the club championship tournaments are planned for the same weekend.

But planners anticipate that the large fan bases that support both nations outside of their homelands, especially South Africa's Springboks, will provide an ample pool of ticket buyers to fill the 45,000-seat stadium, similarly to the sellouts in Chicago.

“We do feel the Springboks in particular have a strong ex-pat following here," said David Sternberg, CEO of Rugby International Marketing. "There are a lot of rugby fans in the South African diaspora in the states and this will be an opportunity for them to come out and see their team."

BREAKING: The Boks will kick off their 2018 international season on an historic note when they face Wales in a once-off Test in Washington DC in the USA on Saturday 2 June. It will be the first time the Boks will face Tier One opposition on neutral ground outside the RWC. pic.twitter.com/et2E7l5uPl

— South African Rugby (@Springboks) February 26, 2018

One reason for the location selection is that the Washington D.C. area is the second largest per-capita market for USA Rugby registration. Though the simultaneous events that weekend are less than ideal, Sternberg said that the population of youth, high school, collegiate, and club rugby should garner a successful fan base.

“We feel like this has the potential to be just as impactful in this market as the New Zealand, Ireland game in Chicago. D.C. is a very important market for us,” Sternberg said.

The foreign unions approached USA Rugby officials in September with a June match and a desire to come to America, Sternberg said. Wales will be en route to the Southern Hemisphere to challenge Argentina, and U.S. officials felt the need to jump on the opportunity provided by both nations.

"This was a unique opportunity, a window in the schedule that presented itself. In an ideal world it would haven’t been the same day as the other events,” Sternberg said. “The idea of having this great tier one match in 15s rugby in early June and then following up with the World Cup Sevens in San Francisco in late July is a great way to bookend the summer.”

Sternberg said they chose RFK Stadium because the venue is easily accessible with a metro station right next door and ample parking, even though the stadium is aging and lacks many modern amenities such as luxury suites. Nearby M&T Stadium in Baltimore was closed for renovations and a new soccer stadium for D.C. United will not open until later in the summer, he said. Other stadiums between D.C. and New York don’t fit the bill either because of field dimensions or use of turf fields.

Still, both nations appear anxious to provide a match to help grow the game stateside.

“We have a huge international community here. Everybody is here," Mahlangu said. "We’re going to attract those who like sports — it doesn’t matter where they come from. They will be in front of their screens. They will be at the stadium to watch the match.”

A longtime rugby player and administrator, Clarence Williams works for the Washington Post.