EP pushing for Bok test in Bay
EASTERN Province Rugby boss Cheeky Watson says his union is pushing very hard to host a Rugby Championship test match between the Springboks and Argentina at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on August 8 next year.
"Apart from bidding to host the Argentina test, we are also in the process of trying to retain the SA leg of the World Rugby Sevens tournament for another four years in Port Elizabeth," EP Rugby Union president Watson said.
If the Argentina bid is successful it will be the fourth test match to be played at the Bay stadium.
In 2011 the Springboks played against New Zealand, and there were also test matches against England (2012) and Scotland (this year) at the new stadium.
"We are busy bidding for the Argentina test and the way Argentina are playing rugby they are a more formidable force than they used to be. EP have always said they would like to bring top rugby to the city and the stadium.
"We are pushing very hard to have the Argentina test here," Watson said.
"I believe the Argentina game would be a sellout because they have been performing very well of late. I would expect a full house for such an event.
"EP are also working very hard to retain the Sevens and it is vitally important that we have 80000 fans over two days for the event. It makes our job of bidding for events much easier when people come out to support them.
"We will have a good idea about what is happening when an SA General Council meeting is held in Cape Town on December 10."
Sanzar chief executive Greg Peters gave Nelson Mandela Bay a big thumbs up as a test venue after he was among 41000 jubilant fans who watched the Boks beat Scotland in the Bay earlier this year.
The IRB World Sevens series returns to Port Elizabeth on December 13 and 14 and organisers are hoping that the event will better last year's attendance figure of 58569 fans who watched play over the two days.
Last year, the stadium was a mass of jubilant rugby fans when the World Series reached a dramatic climax after the Blitz Boks won a dream final 17-14 against arch-rivals New Zealand.
There were 32360 fans in the stadium to watch two of world rugby's powerhouses clash and the attendance of 26209 on the opening day took the overall attendance to 58569.
That was a significant improvement on the 36500 fans who watched play over two days in 2012.
SA Rugby chief executive Jurie Roux said the various event partners were working flat out to deliver another world-class Sevens tournament in Port Elizabeth. "We are again looking forward to welcoming and hosting the 15 visiting teams in the Friendly City," he said.
Among the new innovations this year are a "dance cam" that will encourage fans to get up and dance, and an up-and-under ball-catching competition in which the ball will be launched high into the sky by a machine.
SA Rugby also announced that Mi Casa, South Africa's top band, celebrated young Cape Town singer/songwriter Jimmy Nevis and DJ Fresh of 5FM, one of the foremost radio personalities and DJs in the country, would entertain crowds at the event.
Ticket prices are R30 for the north and south stands; R50 for the east stand; and R200 for the west (main) stand. - George Byron
