In a bid to revive rugby stadium attendance in Gauteng, the Lions and Bulls have announced that they will host consecutive double-header weekends next month at Ellis Park and Loftus Versfeld, respectively.
This will be the first to be done in the URC in SA, the double-header feature has been a mainstay in Wales since 2013. The two Gauteng-based franchises will collaborate with the Irish province of Leinster and Italian side Zebre to pull off the first double-deader festivities.
On April 15 at Ellis Park, the Bulls (at 1pm) will take on Zebre Parma, then immediately after that at 4pm, the Lions face off with Leinster. The following Saturday at Loftus Versfeld, the Lions will have the early kick-off with Zebre, with the Bulls renewing their rivalry with Leinster at 4pm.
The Lions, who have been struggling to put bums on the seats of Ellis Park, has welcomed the announcement as they believe it will bring a spark in rugby and sportainment for the people of Johannesburg and Pretoria.
“We are incredibly excited at the prospect of hosting three quality international club sides all in one day at the iconic Ellis Park. Heading across the Jukskei the following weekend to Loftus Versfeld doesn’t get any better from an overall sportainment experience by the two host franchises,"Lions Rugby CEO Rudolf Straeuli told the unions' media department.
Lions, Bulls to hold double-headers to boost rugby attendance in Gauteng
Image: Lee Warren/Gallo Images)
In a bid to revive rugby stadium attendance in Gauteng, the Lions and Bulls have announced that they will host consecutive double-header weekends next month at Ellis Park and Loftus Versfeld, respectively.
This will be the first to be done in the URC in SA, the double-header feature has been a mainstay in Wales since 2013. The two Gauteng-based franchises will collaborate with the Irish province of Leinster and Italian side Zebre to pull off the first double-deader festivities.
On April 15 at Ellis Park, the Bulls (at 1pm) will take on Zebre Parma, then immediately after that at 4pm, the Lions face off with Leinster. The following Saturday at Loftus Versfeld, the Lions will have the early kick-off with Zebre, with the Bulls renewing their rivalry with Leinster at 4pm.
The Lions, who have been struggling to put bums on the seats of Ellis Park, has welcomed the announcement as they believe it will bring a spark in rugby and sportainment for the people of Johannesburg and Pretoria.
“We are incredibly excited at the prospect of hosting three quality international club sides all in one day at the iconic Ellis Park. Heading across the Jukskei the following weekend to Loftus Versfeld doesn’t get any better from an overall sportainment experience by the two host franchises,"Lions Rugby CEO Rudolf Straeuli told the unions' media department.
Nkosi rues Lions' costly mistakes
Springbok coach Nienaber invites more players for alignment sessions
Lions get their mojo back after rough patch
“Since its inception, the URC, in partnership with their sponsor and broadcast partners, has been at the forefront of sports innovation and these upcoming double-header weekends are a testament to this.”
“Sport in South Africa is constantly in search of creativity, especially when it comes to fan engagement, and we believe that through this unique collaboration, rugby in particular can lead the way in bringing stakeholders together and growing the game for the greater good,” he said.
Blue Bulls Company chief executive Edgar Rathbone shared the same sentiments as Straeuli. "We are buoyant that this double-header will add value for the money South Africans spend around game-days and ultimately we are also confident that the quality of rugby on display will rubberstamp the tournament’s legacy in the growth of the sport in our country," Rathbone said.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Related articles
Latest Videos