Crowd numbers for the Springboks' home Tests this season haven't been great, with high ticket prices impacting sales.
Springbok players during the first Nations Championship Test against England at Ellis Park in July. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
The South African Rugby Union (Saru) should do some serious introspection at the end of the Springboks’ home season, after the relatively disappointing crowd numbers for their international matches.
It is a distinct possibility that the only sold-out home crowd for the Springboks this season could be their second Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry (RGR) series clash against the All Blacks in Cape Town.
The first Test against the All Blacks at Ellis Park was also reportedly sold-out, however, tickets were released in multiple areas of the stadium this week and it is unknown if they will be snapped up before the match on Saturday.
Tickets for the third Test at the FNB Stadium in Joburg are also still available, which is disappointing when it is considered that the two best teams in world rugby are going head-to-head in a landmark series.
However, much of the blame has to be laid at the foot of SA Rugby for the overly-expensive ticketing structure that has priced fans out of watching the Boks, and even their local franchises in the RGR series.
As things stand, not one match involving the Boks this season will see a “sold-out” sign go up.
Crowd numbers
In the Boks’ opening match of the season, against the Barbarians, in Bok-starved Gqeberha, only 26,398 people turned up, when the capacity of the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is 46,000.
After poor initial ticket sales for the first Test of the season against England at Ellis Park, SA Rugby lowered the prices in the build-up and eventually 52,790 people turned up in the 62,567-seater stadium.
The crowd for Scotland at Loftus was 45,053 at the 51,762-seater stadium, and for Wales at Kings Park 40,299 fans showed up, in a 46,000-seater stadium.
Bar the Stormers’ game against the All Blacks, which drew an impressive 47,130 spectators to the 55,000-capacity Cape Town Stadium, the Sharks game drew just 14,759 fans, although rain played a part in that, and the Bulls game drew 30,930 people.
Of course, the Boks are a hot commodity and SA Rugby want to cash in, but in a country that is so unevenly divided in wealth, it is a shame not more fans can afford tickets.
