Captain, our captain
Upcoming match moved to North Harbour; a step down from what they’re accustomed to
Who will be the next Bok skipper?
CALL it a downgrade if you like, but the Springboks will play the All Blacks in North Harbour Stadium in Albany in the Rugby Championships later this year.
Their relegation to a smaller stage, however, has more to do with the All Blacks playing two of their three tests against the British and Irish Lions at Eden Park in Auckland, and less with the flagging fortunes of the Springboks on the international stage.
The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) is hoping to cash in as thousands of tourists wielding wads of cash descend mostly on their North Island later this year by maximising revenues from the three test matches.
Eden Park, by far their biggest venue, will host the first and the third tests, while Wellington’s Westpac Stadium will host the second.
It is also worth remembering that the All Blacks play Australia in Dunedin later this year.
Christchurch might have been an option, but the Springboks played there last season.
It meant the NZRU, who are also obligated to spread tests among their affiliates, allocated this year’s Bok test to Albany — a venue the All Blacks have not played at since 2005 when they beat Fiji.
The Springboks, ironically, have made the picturesque trip across the North Harbour Bridge to Albany more recently when they beat Samoa in the 2011 World Cup.
The stadium with a 25 000-capacity is perfectly functional and spectator friendly, but still represents a step down from what the Boks have become accustomed to when they play the All Blacks.
Kiwi rugby bosses possibly also considered the dense South African expat community on that side of the North Harbour Bridge when they weighed up their options. It is, however, a consideration that didn’t sway their decisions before.
SA Rugby president Mark Alexander said like South Africa, New Zealand also have to allocate testmatch hosting rights to several affiliates. “We also move tests around,” he reminded. “In fact, this year we are hosting Australia in Bloemfontein and some people may have a problem with that.
“We have to accept where New Zealand say we play.
“We can’t dictate terms. Fact of the matter is, it is about money.”
In an ironic twist, the Springboks’ home test against the All Blacks is potentially heading for controversy. The match is scheduled to be played in Cape Town on October 7, but between SA Rugby and the Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPRFU), the venue for the test is yet to be confirmed.
One source told the Sunday Times the match will probably be played at Newlands, but that there is a 20% chance of the game being played at Cape Town Stadium.
When asked to comment, WPRFU president Thelo Wakefield reacted as if he had little connection to the sport. “SA Rugby is the organisation that has to announce the decision. The decision is not made by us. I don’t know why there is a delay. Maybe it is not a foregone conclusion. For all I know, the match could be at City Park.”
Alexander said the delay was rooted in the fact that a security compliance certificate had to be obtained from the City of Cape Town. “It is a test match that has been allocated to Western Province. They need to get a security certificate, I’m not doing that on their behalf.
“All stadiums need this clearance. It was passed into law in March.”
Whether Newlands, SA rugby’s creaking grand old lady, will get the clearance remains to be seen. It is no secret the city council and SA Rugby would much rather have the game at Cape Town Stadium.