Hosting All Blacks test ‘life or death’

The small South African rugby province set to host the Springboks v All Blacks Rugby Championship test has laid out the harsh realities of that game being abandoned.

The future of Sanzaar’s Rugby Championship remains up in the air amidst the coronavirus crisis. But the September 26 test at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit has become a matter of ‘‘life and death’’ to the hosts.

‘‘The proudest moment in the Mpumalanga Rugby Union’s history might also become our ultimate tragedy,’’ the union’s chief executive Pieter Burger told Sport24 in South Africa.

‘‘We’ll lose millions. I don’t need to tell anyone that. An All Blacks test is a crown jewel for any union because you can basically guarantee all shareholders that it will be a sell-out.

‘‘Everyone’s tearing their hair out over Covid-19’s inherent uncertainty, but for us this is now a proverbial matter of life-or-death. If we can’t generate some cash reserves as a buffer for next year’s expenses, we’ll be watching New Year’s sunrise and then promptly close our doors.’’

With South Africa in a very strict lockdown, Burger is seeking some clarity moving forward. He seems to have accepted that if it goes ahead, the test is likely to be played behind closed doors at the impressive 41,000-seater stadium. That might be enough to keep the Mpumalanga Rugby Union functional.

‘‘The hope is that we’ll have an answer from government by the end of the month. One thing that could count in our favour is that the match is schedule relatively late in the year,’’ Burger said.

‘‘Of course I would love to sell tickets and suites, but that’s not realistic any more. Just let the game be played! At least that allows for a broadcast, which brings in some money. At least then we can offer sponsors some sort of exposure, even if it’s just a sizeable TV audience. We can also then eliminate force majeure [unforeseeable circumstances allowing parties not to commit their contractual obligations].’’

Burger revealed how precarious the situation is. He said 70 per cent of his union’s revenue comes from sponsorships and 85 per cent of those sponsorships are up for renewal in the next few months. The All Blacks test is crucial to seeing those contracts extended.