Kings call on fans to help beat the Sharks
COME one, come all Nelson Mandela Bay residents and #FillOurStadium.
This was the appeal by the Southern Kings rugby team yesterday at the Donkin Reserve in Port Elizabeth.
A red flag with the words “fill our stadium” on it was raised to invite rugby fans to support the Kings when they face the Sharks in their next home game on Saturday.
After beating the Waratahs and Melbourne Rebels, the Kings are looking to make it a hat-trick of Super Rugby wins.
The team, coach Deon Davids and mayor Athol Trollip, among others, watched as the red and white flag slowly rose to the top of the flagpole.
A buoyant Davids said support would genuinely encourage the players.
“This is a fantastic initiative. It means so much to the players,” he said.
“It is also a way for the players to play at their best and to say thank you for all the love and support we have had.
“We will try our best to score a home win on Saturday – we haven’t done that this year and I think it’s going to be much easier if we have a full stadium.
“The boys have worked really hard to get here, things are starting to gel a bit more and we are hoping to keep that momentum and that things will get better from here on.”
Trollip encouraged fans to fill all 45 000 seats.
“If we have people in that stadium every time there is a big match, or for a concert, we are creating an economy [there] and everybody around that precinct and we as a city will benefit,” he said.