GAVIN RICH: Lions deliver, but URC trips over its own feet with early kick-offs
While SA teams have generally got off to a solid start, the turn-out at games has been alarmingly poor
07 October 2024 - 05:00
byGAVIN RICH
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The Lions delivered a statement performance in their victory over Edinburgh in their second round United Rugby Championship clash, with the home team producing as close to an object lesson in perfect fast tempo attacking rugby in the first half as you could wish to see.
In the second half the Lions lost some of their connectedness, but in the first half they scored 48 unanswered points. And that against an Edinburgh team that many are rating as contenders for a play-off place this season.
The Lions’ emphasis on youth and their decision to repeat the continuity policy that built their relative success in Super Rugby between 2016 and 2018, when they played in three successive finals, does appear to be paying off. The Lions showed off some new talent, such as the impressive young looseforward Jarod Cairns in the Currie Cup, where they were the front-runners until they lost the final to the Sharks in dramatic last-gasp fashion.
Some of those players are now transferring what they learned to the higher league. With a full house of 10 points from two games, the Lions have a platform to work off as they head off on a three match overseas tour. With their next URC game at Ellis Park only scheduled for 2025, they did need to maximise the big advantage they were given in both matches by being assigned early afternoon kick-offs.
It is already a difficult task for visiting teams coming to altitude in the summer months, but the earlier the kick-off and the hotter the day, the tougher it becomes.
Which cues the one negative of the opening two rounds of the URC from a SA viewpoint — while the teams have generally got off to a solid start, the turn-out at games has been alarmingly poor.
Spectators’ comfort
Last week there was the excuse of the games being played on the same day as the Test match in Nelspruit. There was less excuse at the weekend — or was there? While the home teams on the highveld might appreciate the advantage of playing early daylight games, it isn’t spectator friendly.
One of the weaknesses of the URC, which we are otherwise usually so positive about, is that the timing of the games doesn’t always prioritise the comfort of the spectator, or for that matter the television viewer, with too many clashes in kick-off times in games featuring SA teams. Surely that’s not so hard to organise.
Scheduling a rugby match on a clear October day in Johannesburg at 12.50pm, which was the case for the first Lions game against Ulster, is not conducive to bringing the crowds in. Neither was the 1.45pm kick-off time at the weekend.
The mere 6,000 crowd that turned up for what was a plum game between the Bulls and Ulster would not have been a consequence of poor timing of the kick-off for it was a late afternoon game.
But the scheduling that conspired to have two consecutive Johannesburg games played at a time when it would have been an uncomfortable experience to sit in the stands was just poor, although it isn’t only Gauteng or URC games that suffer from illogical scheduling.
Last year the Stormers had an early afternoon kick-off for their Champions Cup pool game against La Rochelle. The French team arrived as reigning European champions so there should have been a big crowd, but instead only 11,000 people came through the turnstiles.
Turnstiles click
And it was easy to understand why. The game was played at a time of day in early summer (December) when most Capetonians would have chosen the beach ahead of rugby. It was beach weather, and mates who did come to the game didn’t need to talk about how uncomfortable they were — their sunburn told the story.
The Stormers won with an injury time conversion from Manie Libbok, but Stormers coach John Dobson admitted afterwards that while the timing of the kick-off might have helped his team, it didn’t help the turnstiles click. Which to him was a problem. The next few Stormers games were played in the evening, which is when all summer rugby in SA should be played, and the crowds were back.
Early kick-offs could on certain days also be dangerous for the players. The Stormers thrashed the Sharks in an early game on a particularly humid Durban February afternoon two seasons ago, but what the Stormers players will remember was the level of discomfort they experienced.
The Lions game at the weekend was a good watch, but early kick-offs don’t tend to promote watchable rugby either. An effort should be made by the competition organisers to avoid them. While the Boks are riding the crest of a wave the next level of rugby should be an easy sell in SA, with an opportunity for growth, but it isn’t happening so far and it won’t if rugby authorities don't prioritise the comfort of the paying spectator more than they are.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
GAVIN RICH: Lions deliver, but URC trips over its own feet with early kick-offs
While SA teams have generally got off to a solid start, the turn-out at games has been alarmingly poor
The Lions delivered a statement performance in their victory over Edinburgh in their second round United Rugby Championship clash, with the home team producing as close to an object lesson in perfect fast tempo attacking rugby in the first half as you could wish to see.
In the second half the Lions lost some of their connectedness, but in the first half they scored 48 unanswered points. And that against an Edinburgh team that many are rating as contenders for a play-off place this season.
The Lions’ emphasis on youth and their decision to repeat the continuity policy that built their relative success in Super Rugby between 2016 and 2018, when they played in three successive finals, does appear to be paying off. The Lions showed off some new talent, such as the impressive young looseforward Jarod Cairns in the Currie Cup, where they were the front-runners until they lost the final to the Sharks in dramatic last-gasp fashion.
Some of those players are now transferring what they learned to the higher league. With a full house of 10 points from two games, the Lions have a platform to work off as they head off on a three match overseas tour. With their next URC game at Ellis Park only scheduled for 2025, they did need to maximise the big advantage they were given in both matches by being assigned early afternoon kick-offs.
It is already a difficult task for visiting teams coming to altitude in the summer months, but the earlier the kick-off and the hotter the day, the tougher it becomes.
Which cues the one negative of the opening two rounds of the URC from a SA viewpoint — while the teams have generally got off to a solid start, the turn-out at games has been alarmingly poor.
Spectators’ comfort
Last week there was the excuse of the games being played on the same day as the Test match in Nelspruit. There was less excuse at the weekend — or was there? While the home teams on the highveld might appreciate the advantage of playing early daylight games, it isn’t spectator friendly.
One of the weaknesses of the URC, which we are otherwise usually so positive about, is that the timing of the games doesn’t always prioritise the comfort of the spectator, or for that matter the television viewer, with too many clashes in kick-off times in games featuring SA teams. Surely that’s not so hard to organise.
Scheduling a rugby match on a clear October day in Johannesburg at 12.50pm, which was the case for the first Lions game against Ulster, is not conducive to bringing the crowds in. Neither was the 1.45pm kick-off time at the weekend.
The mere 6,000 crowd that turned up for what was a plum game between the Bulls and Ulster would not have been a consequence of poor timing of the kick-off for it was a late afternoon game.
But the scheduling that conspired to have two consecutive Johannesburg games played at a time when it would have been an uncomfortable experience to sit in the stands was just poor, although it isn’t only Gauteng or URC games that suffer from illogical scheduling.
Last year the Stormers had an early afternoon kick-off for their Champions Cup pool game against La Rochelle. The French team arrived as reigning European champions so there should have been a big crowd, but instead only 11,000 people came through the turnstiles.
Turnstiles click
And it was easy to understand why. The game was played at a time of day in early summer (December) when most Capetonians would have chosen the beach ahead of rugby. It was beach weather, and mates who did come to the game didn’t need to talk about how uncomfortable they were — their sunburn told the story.
The Stormers won with an injury time conversion from Manie Libbok, but Stormers coach John Dobson admitted afterwards that while the timing of the kick-off might have helped his team, it didn’t help the turnstiles click. Which to him was a problem. The next few Stormers games were played in the evening, which is when all summer rugby in SA should be played, and the crowds were back.
Early kick-offs could on certain days also be dangerous for the players. The Stormers thrashed the Sharks in an early game on a particularly humid Durban February afternoon two seasons ago, but what the Stormers players will remember was the level of discomfort they experienced.
The Lions game at the weekend was a good watch, but early kick-offs don’t tend to promote watchable rugby either. An effort should be made by the competition organisers to avoid them. While the Boks are riding the crest of a wave the next level of rugby should be an easy sell in SA, with an opportunity for growth, but it isn’t happening so far and it won’t if rugby authorities don't prioritise the comfort of the paying spectator more than they are.
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