Stormers to face French giants Toulon in Gqeberha

Top-level professional rugby returns to Gqeberha on December 7, when the Stormers face French giants RC Toulon in round one of the Investec Champions Cup at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

The move to Gqeberha was made because the HSBC Cape Town Sevens is set to take place at the DHL Stadium on the same weekend.

This will be the second Stormers home match at the Bay stadium, which was also the venue for a Vodacom URC clash with the Dragons in late 2022.

That match proved to be a huge success, attracting a crowd of 15,000 supporters.

Stormers director of rugby John Dobson said the squad was looking forward to taking the Investec Champions Cup to a new frontier.

“Our match against the Dragons RFC two years ago was a fantastic experience and we are looking forward to what should be another special occasion at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium,” he said.

“We are expecting a vibrant atmosphere in a world-class stadium, with the added excitement of bringing the Investec Champions Cup to the people of Gqeberha.”

Stormers Rugby chief executive Johan le Roux said this would be a good opportunity to connect with supporters in Gqeberha.

“Our team is well-supported wherever they go and we know the people of the Eastern Cape will turn out in their numbers to experience an Investec Champions Cup against a renowned RC Toulon side,” he said.

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium executive manager Raaziq Poole said there was real excitement in Gqeberha about hosting another Stormers match.

“The Stormers are adored by the citizens of the Nelson Mandela Bay metro and we are thrilled to have them back after the Vodacom URC match two years ago which was such a success,” he said.

“This time we experience a new tournament in the Investec Champions Cup and we are ready for some elite rugby between two top sides.”

Tickets will go on sale in October, with 2024/25 season ticket holders able to buy them at a 50% discount.

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