Sharpe out to drum up Test crowd
FORMER Wallaby star Nathan Sharpe is urging fellow Gold Coasters to support the looming rugby union Test match at Robina next month to help attract more matches in future.
Mr Sharpe, who was a student at The Southport School before going on to play 116 Tests for Australia, said the Gold Coast had a solid rugby union tradition and hosting the Wallabies-Argentina game on September 15 was exciting.
“The Gold Coast has a strong rugby support base and deserves the right to have a Test match hosted there,” he said.
“It’s not often you get a chance to see your country playing in your own back yard. The more people who come and watch, the more opportunity the city will get to have those games in the future.”
His comments come after city rugby diehards expressed concern in the Bulletin last week about a lack of promotion by Rugby Australia, fuelling fears of a poor turnout.
Public promotion has since kicked off after an early “community engagement” campaign. That included 1200 free tickets for juniors doing a prematch march, $10 university student tickets and discounts for Coast rugby club members.
Next month’s Test at CBUS Super Stadium is the Gold Coast’s first since the Wallabies beat Argentina at the venue in 2014 before a paltry crowd of 14,000. CBUS can host 27,000.
Mr Sharpe recalled fond memories of playing against Argentina on the Gold Coast in 2012.
Mr Sharpe joins fellow former Wallabies Nathan Grey and Stephen Moore at a Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation breakfast fundraiser on September 12 at CBUS, days out from the Test.