Saturday’s Test between SA and Italy affords Gqeberha rugby fans an opportunity to welcome their World Cup-winning Springbok heroes back to the Bay after a long absence.
At one stage, EP’s standing within SA rugby’s hierarchy was so low, the Boks skipped Gqeberha when they went on a triumphant nationwide tour after winning the World Cup.
A deafening roar from a sell-out 46,000 sell-out crowd will greet the players on Saturday when SA take to the field at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
The Springbok women’s team will set the scene for what promises to be a memorable occasion when they play a Test against Canada ahead of the men’s international.
It will be the first time the Bok men’s team have been in action at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium since 2021, when they played two Tests against Argentina behind closed doors during the Covid-19 pandemic.
It will be a special moment in Gqeberha’s long history of hosting Bok rugby teams since the first Test was played in the Bay in 1891 at the Crusader Ground in St George’s Park.
After that first match against the British Lions, another historic day in the city’s history was the first Test at the newly-built Boet Erasmus Stadium in 1960.
“The Boet” was to become home to Test rugby in the city until 2011, when the first Test was played at the new Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Starved of top rugby in recent years, Gqeberha has an opportunity to show the world it deserves to host Test matches regularly.
EP rugby president George Malgas says SA Rugby's decision to award a Test to Gqeberha is proof the mother body has faith in the union to deliver a memorable occasion.
Despatch-born Bok coach Erasmus says it will be particularly exciting to return to Gqeberha.
He said SA were looking for a repeat of the passionate support the Boks received when they last played in an open stadium pre-Covid against Australia in 2018.
Hopefully, the Bok men’s and women’s teams will send the crowd home happy with a resounding win.
The Herald
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