Pumas to play in front of fans after 2 years
Friday will see the Pumas take to the field for their first Carling Currie Cup clash of the year against the Vodacom Bulls.
The excitement is tangible. “Pumas! Pumas! Pumas!” will once again, after more than two years, echo through Mbombela Stadium as 1 400 spectators will be allowed into the stadium.
This was confirmed by the stadium’s manager, Roelf Kotze. He confirmed that the tickets had gone on sale on Tuesday morning.
They are exclusively on sale at the stadium’s ticket office between 08:00 and 16:00 at R80 per adult and R20 per child. Sales close at 13:00 on Friday, so it is essential that you buy yours well before the game at 19:00. You will need to present a vaccination certificate when buying a ticket, and you will need to have it with you come game time.
Only the western block will be in use; 3 000 seats have been reserved to ensure social distancing. Food will be on sale, but not alcohol.
A staunch Pumas supporter, Pippa Botha, who rarely ever misses a home game with her husband, Pieter, is ecstatic to return. “Great friendships were born at the stadium, and we have invited our friends back to join us for the game. I cannot put into words how excited I am. Watching these games on television is just not the same,” she said, jokingly hoping that her supporter’s jersey will still fit after the long absence.
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She is excited to “meet” all the new team players. One player who needs no introduction is eighth man Willie Engelbrecht, and he is sure to entertain the crowd with his crunching tackles – this time as captain. “It is a great privilege to lead the team onto the field, and I sincerely appreciate the trust the coach and players has in me. I wish to take the team to great heights and build from the foundation that was laid last season,” he said.
Engelbrecht added that he, too, is excited to play in front of a crowd again. “The psychological benefits of having a crowd behind us are immense.”
His message to the team is to trust one another and to play each game as if it were their last. “We hope to make our supporters proud this season.”
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