New stadium regulations for international matches could be the final nail in the coffin for Newlands Rugby Stadium.
A report in the media on Thursday highlighted new safety regulations that have been enforced by the International Rugby Board (IRB) for all stadiums looking to host international rugby games. According to the new regulations, a stadium may only host international fixtures if it qualified for a safety and grading certificate which will only be issued if all the criteria are met.
Some of the criteria included fire safety systems, detailed evacuation processes and plans in cases of emergency and strict security measures including the instillation of CCTV cameras.
SARU’s game operations manager, Steven Roos, said the cost of implementing the minimum safety and security requirements would simply be too high.
This is particularly bad news for two of South Africa’s famous stadiums, Mr. Price Kings Park in Durban and Newlands Rugby Stadium in Cape Town. While stadiums like Loftus (Pretoria), Ellis Park/Coca Cola Park (Johannesburg) and the Free State Stadium (Bloemfontein) all underwent extensive renovations and upgrades to comply with FIFA’s strict regulations when South Africa hosted the Soccer World Cup in 2010, the two coastal stadiums were untouched as it was decided to rather build two brand new stadiums namely the Moses Mabida Stadium in Durban, and Cape Town Stadium in Cape Town.
It has been well documented in both cases how the cities of Durban and Cape Town wanted the two rugby unions to move to the new modern stadiums but in both cases this has been met by stern resistance from the respective rugby unions, citing among other things the financial viability of such a move (WP Rugby owns Newlands Rugby Stadium).
While the mood in Durban seems to have settled on this issue, the battle between the City of Cape Town and WP Rugby Union only intensified reaching a climax in the recent Saracens debacle where a European Cup match was cancelled because the two parties could not come to terms on where the match would be hosted.
What complicates matters for the WP Rugby Union, who is largely viewed as the best supported union when it comes to crowd attendance, is that they last hosted a tier 1 nation (France) in a test in 2010 (during the Soccer World Cup) and before that 2009 when they hosted Australia. This year the Cape Town faithful can only expect Tri-Nations newcomers (now The Championship Trophy), Argentina.
Some of the biggest criticisms of Newlands Rugby Stadium is its poor location which makes access to it a nightmare, as-well as the deteriorating infrastructure at the stadium (concession stands and bathrooms) with its narrow and crowded access points and corridors which can easily take you up to 15 minutes to locate your seat (let alone evacuating thousands in minutes).
While SARU have submitted their concerns over the new regulations one has the feeling that should these be strictly enforced, it could well spell the end for the iconic stadium.
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February 16th, 2012 at 12:08 pm
Guys on News24 is having a ball
about this story.
There was a letter in the paper asking
on its way for WP/Stormers.
why so many Newlands season tickets are
up for sale.
Dunno if it’s true, but I smell lots of
February 16th, 2012 at 12:15 pm
Kyk, skuif sal hulle een of ander tyd moet skuif, maar dit moet finansieel die moeite werd wees. En dan wat van die sport instituut? En dan, is daar plek rondom Cape Town Stadium waar mens sonder steurnis kan braai voor ‘n game? Ons varke diekant van die boerewors gordyn like van braai voor ‘n game!
February 16th, 2012 at 12:38 pm
Reply to KingPaul @ 12:15 pm: Om plek te maak vir braai is die minste van die probleme en die Stad sal met graagte ‘n oplossing in plek sit. Die geneuk is dat WPRU nie enigsins wil saamwerk om ‘n werkbare oplossing te vind nie. Al wat hulle raaksien is redes om nie saam te werk nie. Waar daar ‘n wil is is daar ‘n weg maar in hierdie geval is daar geen wil nie.
February 16th, 2012 at 12:42 pm
Was the 2010 game a soccer match or the rugby match?
I get the feeling then that SARU is forcing the issue with WPRU?
It’s a crying f**king shame…
February 16th, 2012 at 12:43 pm
Well for one thing this solves the Kings problem one shot. The Stormers and Sharks can no longer use their home stadiums to play in so amalgamate them and base them at the PE stadium… problem solved!
Cheetahs get first dibs on contracting rejected Sharks players…
February 16th, 2012 at 12:45 pm
http://www.watkykjy.co.za/2012/02/los-die-lions-se-bal-sport-met-kaptein-kortbroek/
February 16th, 2012 at 12:48 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 12:42 pm:
2010 game was a rugby game, their national soccer side played in CPT stadium the same week I believe!
WP and SA Rugby had to get special dispensation from FIFA to host the French since the whole city was in lockdown.
February 16th, 2012 at 12:52 pm
Ek wil graag sien hoe WPRU die dag hul besluite gaan verdedig/regverdig as daar ‘n ernstige voorval by Nuweland plaasvind wat ontruiming noodsaak. Daai perde run daai plek met die hoop niks sal ooit verkeerdloop nie want dit het mos nog nie. Mense gaan mekaar vertrap en eiendom rondom die stadion gaan skade lei waarvoor WPRU sal moet opdok.
February 16th, 2012 at 12:57 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 12:43 pm: Funny. The politics would eventually come full circle.
February 16th, 2012 at 12:59 pm
Reply to Morné @ 12:48 pm:
Oh right…
The one where we spanked them with a super snotting…
Nothing 2011 and one in 2012…
Eish..
February 16th, 2012 at 1:01 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 12:59 pm:
Indeed, we scored 40 odd points, gave them a proper beating.
But CPT has not seen a decent test since, and won’t in 2012 either.
February 16th, 2012 at 1:06 pm
Hehehehe.
Ek onthou nou die vrou wat gekla het
oor die geraas op Nuweland wanneer
sy haar middagslapie (knippie?)
op ‘n Saterdag vang nie.
Wou toe weet hoekom speel hulle nie
ook in die nag nie, soos die Aussies
en die Kiwis.
Beware, they walk amongst us!
February 16th, 2012 at 1:12 pm
DAWIE
Check my vraag #34 op
Sulking South Africans stand no chance
of adding to Super quota.
February 16th, 2012 at 1:18 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 1:12 pm:
Hetr hom Boer
Sien hulle weer more… verkoop mos ure en hulle is snoep…
Sal jou laat weet.
February 16th, 2012 at 2:37 pm
Reply to KingPaul @ 12:15 pm: Rubbish. Ons weet almal jou vrou braai vir jou
February 16th, 2012 at 2:43 pm
Reply to trupisero @ 2:37 pm:
The TRUTH!
February 16th, 2012 at 2:51 pm
Reply to Morné @ 2:43 pm:
brilliant!! Gives him more time for
February 16th, 2012 at 2:55 pm
Reply to JT_BOKBEFOK! @ 2:51 pm:
Hy het seker ook twee seuns vir
fetchers, a la Jake White.
February 16th, 2012 at 4:36 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 2:55 pm: Net een laaitie, maar hy beweeg al mooi vinnig! Hehehe
February 17th, 2012 at 8:07 pm
Nasty bully tactics to force use of those white elephant expensive stadiums.
February 17th, 2012 at 11:11 pm
To think that old WP needs to be dragged kicking and screaming into the new era?
As for ABSA stadium – not as kak as Newlands but getting there.
I dont mind these franchises playing in their historical toilets till the second coming, but as a Bok fan why must I pay R500 for a ticket at a toilet when a great stadium that will make the ticket (almost) worth it is a mere stone throw away?
Its not fair on Bok supporters. Give us bang for our buck – and these old toilets long ago ceased to provide such.