My friends over at the South African Rugby Union missed a trick by not giving Cape Town an All Blacks Test this year.
We all know the history behind this fixture in the Mother City and how New Zealand teams have, historically, enjoyed massive support in Cape Town.
So much so that ex-Western Province president Thelo Wakefield once told the Cape Times: “It makes it tougher and tougher to get the All Blacks to play in Cape Town.
“I am losing the battle at Saru to convince the executive to play the All Blacks Test in Cape Town. I think all these incidents at Stormers-Crusaders games are the major reason why Saru takes the All Blacks rather to Port Elizabeth or up north.”
That was back in 2013 when fans were reportedly injured in fights and Stormers players allegedly verbally abused in their match at Newlands by so-called Cape Crusaders. I remember that day actually, our Cape players were not happy with the situation.
Anyway, Newlands got an All Blacks Test again in 2017 when then-coach Allister Coetzee’s men narrowly lost 25-24.
Now I get why SA Rugby won’t pick Cape Town for an All Blacks Test.
Yes, it has to do with New Zealand’s Cape support and when you play the top teams in the world, you want to have every bit of an advantage as possible.
My research also shows that South Africa have lost seven of the 10 Test matches played in Cape Town against New Zealand.
So not only does it make sense to skip Cape Town from a “home support” point of view, but results-wise it is probably better to push a team in the highveld.
Stormers assistant coach Rito Hlungwani summed up how teams look to gain advantage in the highveld best ahead of their trip to Ellis Park on the weekend.
Coming from a coastal region, Hlungwani said of the Stormers’ struggles at Ellis Park in recent years: “In the past couple of years the Lions’ style of play complimented the fact that you’re playing at altitude. For a team coming from sea level, they’re always trying to push the tempo and sort of make you feel the altitude. It’s something that, over the years we’ve recognised and really worked hard to try and improve from our side and increased the intensity at training to try and simulate that. It’s not really the same thing, but it gets us close to an environment of feeling when we can handle their speed and intensity and the altitude for that matter. That’s what usually made it tough - they never give you an opportunity to breathe.”
So judging by that, I agree that for the Springboks to get one over the All Blacks, take them to the highveld - not that the Mbombela Stadium is in the highveld area in any case. Loftus Versfeld, where the two teams will clash first, though, is.
Still, I reckon we’re missing a big marketing trick in not having the game at Cape Town Stadium.
As people start to slowly creep out of their houses and life takes on the form of the “new normal”, such a match in Cape Town would have been a great advertisement for the game of rugby.
Can you imagine a sold-out day at Cape Town Stadium - a first against New Zealand - packed with fans? Regardless of who they support, it would undoubtedly be a colourful day that will make South Africans lus for some big-game action at stadiums again.
As it is, though, Cape Town got a Test against Wales.
Boring, I know.
Now that my rant is over, I can’t wait to welcome the All Blacks to our shores for the first time since 2018 when they beat South Africa 32-30 at Loftus Versfeld.
I also can’t wait to see what a day at the rugby will look like post-Covid. Will people be more considerate towards each other? Will they be more appreciative of others?
Will alcohol sales be kept to a minimum to keep things respective?
What this pandemic has taught us is that we’re all just human - regardless of race, who you support, religion and all the other things that want to separate us as human beings.
Wow, the more I write the more I’m dreaming of that All Blacks Test at Cape Town Stadium.
Better luck next year, I suppose.