The first serving of a spicy four-course all-star rugby banquet will be dished up to hungry Gqeberha fans when the Junior Springboks face arch-rivals New Zealand on Saturday.
This is an appetiser for three other world-class events which have been lined up for rugby-starved fans at the iconic Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
After having to be satisfied with leftover morsels for several seasons, Eastern Cape rugby fans are back at the top table and indulging in a mouth-watering array of world-class tasty treats.
Considering the scraps they had to live off during the lean years, it is not surprising that supporters are tucking in and coming out in big numbers to enjoy the feast after the famine.
After a hearty first course of U20 action, fans can enjoy a substantial second serving of international action on June 20 when an SA A team face the Zimbabwe Sables.
The SA A game is a curtain-raiser to the main event later the same day, when the world champion Springboks face a composite Barbarians side featuring a creme de la creme lineup of Test players from around the world.
If appetites have not been fully appeased after this double serving, rugby aficionados can look forward to the world-famous U18 Craven Week from July 5 to 11 at Grey High School.
On the first day of the U20 Rugby Championship tournament, 11,000 fans turned up to watch the Baby Boks beat Argentina in weather that was far from ideal.
On the second match day on Sunday, another good crowd turned out to watch SA play Australia in the second game as interest in the event grew.
It would be a feather in Gqeberha’s cap if the Bay’s rugby-loving public could better the attendance of 15,000 fans who watched the 2025 finale between SA and the Baby Blacks when the tournament reaches its conclusion on Saturday.
The next generation of Bok stars have captured the imagination of fans in the opening two rounds.
None more so than barn-storming Bok centre Ethan “The Tank” Adams, who has all the attributes needed to become a superstar if he continues to develop and keeps his feet firmly grounded.
SA Rugby, by providing a feast fit for a king, has shown confidence that Nelson Mandela Bay can successfully host world-class sporting events.
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