Cape Town - Saturday’s North-South Derby between the Stormers and bitter rivals Bulls is headed for another sold-out affair in the Mother City.
After December’s clash against the Sharks that filled Cape Town Stadium to the brim, it’s expected that the fewer than 4 000 remaining tickets will be scooped up throughout Friday and Saturday.
It’s an early 2pm kickoff, which means all roads in the city will literally lead to Green Point for the much anticipated first North-South Derby of the 2024-25 United Rugby Championship season.
The two teams were scheduled to clash in September last year, but the duel was postponed because the Currie Cup final was decided on the same day.
Coach John Dobson and his Stormers players have been hard at work in the Cape sun over the last two weeks preparing for this duel, and they want to utilise all the energy they’ll get from the crowd to subdue the Bulls.
Johan le Roux, the Stormers CEO, said they are not taking the support for granted.
“This match will be our second sell-out at DHL Stadium this season, which is an amazing achievement considering that the attendance for the corresponding fixtures last season were both under 40 000,” he said.
“The support we receive from our fans is simply phenomenal, and not something we will ever take for granted.
“We have added a full public bar, ‘The Wyn Yard’, in the tent situated next to Fort Wynyard, and there is a new kiddie’s zone behind the Family Stand.
“We will allow a limited number of spectators onto the field after the match as part of our Golden Ticket experience, which will give our fans the unique opportunity to access the pitch before it is replaced next week.”
Le Roux said that the ticket sales over the two South African derbies confirm that they are moving in the right direction as a business, and how they continuously improve not only on the field but also off the field.
“These are very exciting times for everyone involved with Stormers rugby.”
The City of Cape Town, meanwhile, announced a free MyCiTi shuttle service for fans with a valid ticket heading to the stadium.
There will be road closures around the precinct, and with plenty of traffic expected, supporters are encouraged to make use of the shuttles.
The buses will start operating at 10.30am, with the last one departing the stadium at 6pm tomorrow evening.
“Due to limited parking in Green Point, we recommend parking in the CBD, and either using the shuttle or walking via the Fan Walk to the stadium,” JP Smith, the city’s mayoral committee member for safety and security, said in a statement.
“Our safety and security teams will be deployed in and around the stadium to support a seamless, safe and enjoyable experience for everyone.
“We call on the Faithful to come in their numbers and show support to the Stormers for this important South African derby.”
This will be the Stormers’ last match in the Mother City until April, when they face Irish side Connacht in the final stretch of the URC.