Re: England v NZ

In article <e51t8t$p84$1$8302bc10@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Sean Byrne <byrne_sean_spamtrap@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

William A. T. Clark wrote:


If you add the total attendance at GP games for a season, you will find
it surpasses the S14, since it is a season long league, and not a season
opening flash in the pan.

Ah... so *real* support is less people turning up to more games? Riiiight.

The GP has an average attendance of about 9,000 from memory.

Thomond park regularly sells out because it's only got a capacity of 13500.



And how many S14 games topped 70,000 this year? Millenium Stadium could
have filled twice over with the demand for tickets for the HC Final.


Don't remember mentioning that. Specifically mentioned GP and Celtic
league as they're not 'flash in the pan' competitions like the HC.



This is really a silly comparison -


You claimed the OP was ignorant when he asserted that 'Munsters average
home crowd during the season is thousands less than the average
Hurricanes home crowd'.

He was right. Hurricanes average is about double Munsters.


you need to have a word with your
buddy down there, and get HIM into the 21st century.


He's not the one harking back to 1978 and legendary 60 game seasons.

Later,
Sean





William Clark

Well, try this for size from a neutral observer - South Africa's News 24:

Heineken Cup passion
22/05/2006 08:57 - (SA)

Falk AdSolution
# Jake wants to rotate his Boks
# Third time lucky for Munster
# Hadden says Boks are tops
# Serevi targets Sevens title
# No bye-bye to WP coaches, yet?

Garrin Lambley

Irish by birth... Munster by the grace of God.

Was the Super 14 semi-final between the Crusaders and Bulls the best game of
rugby this weekend?

No.

Did the Vodacom Cup final contested by the Falcons and Wildebeest provide the
best 80 minutes of action?

With due respect - and congratulations to everyone in Brakpan - again, no.

You guessed it.

The Heineken Cup, the pinnacle of the northern hemisphere's club and
provincial scene, provided die-hard fans and neutrals alike with unsurpassed
drama at Cardiff's Millennium stadium on Saturday afternoon.

No true rugby fan can say, hand on heart, that he or she wasn't in some way
affected by the scenes of unbridled celebration and joy as Ireland's Munster
ended their Heineken Cup final jinx by defeating France's Biarritz.

Munster, twice losing finalists, were expertly marshaled by Ireland's
half-back pairing of man of the match Peter Stringer and Ronan O'Gara who in
tandem went a long way to extinguishing the threat posed by France's finest.

The Millennium stadium provided a neutral venue for the final yet was packed
to the rafters by 74 000 screaming fans while a conservative estimate of 20
000 others packed the streets of Limerick and who knows how many crammed into
smoke-filled street caf's in the Basque region as they cheered on their
heroes.

As the final whistle sounded, Cardiff erupted and turned into a sea of red as
beers and tears flowed.

I'll admit, even with zero allegiance to either team, that I too felt a tear
trickle down the cheek as Munster fought back after conceding an early try to
lift the trophy.

It was equally pleasing to see former Sharks players Trevor Halstead and
Shaun Payne helping Munster to victory. More on them later...

Several hours earlier, and some 11 time zones ahead, the second Super 14
semi-final was played out at Jade stadium on New Zealand's south island
between the all-conquering hometown favourites, the Crusaders, and the
visiting Bulls.

The southern hemisphere's equivalent of the Heineken Cup, the Super 14 -
although the pride in winning remains comparable - doesn't enjoy similar
fanatical support in terms of spectator numbers.

There were empty seats aplenty on Saturday morning in Christchurch as there
were in Friday's first semi-final in Wellington and there's nothing to
suggest the final will be sold out either.

Certainly it's difficult to believe that there will be 20 000 - or any - fans
watching on big screens on any New Zealand outpost off the mainland next
weekend.

The question therefore needs to be asked: Are northern hemisphere rugby fans
more passionate than their southern counterparts?

Let's assume for a moment that Twickenham and Ellis Park both hold the same
number of spectators.

Every England home Test is played at Twickenham in London - and is packed to
capacity.

Let's also assume - but at the same time pray they don't - that Sarfu vote to
make Ellis Park the Springbok headquarters and that every Test with immediate
effect would be held in Johannesburg.

Besides the national outcry, how many Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban,
Bloemfontein and any other cities' fans would religiously make the trip to
Johannesburg to see the green and gold in action?

Clubs and provinces north of the equator enjoy tremendous support from both
players and fans alike - unlike in this country where club rugby in
particular is sadly dying a fast death while it's noticeable that when a
provincial teams' fortunes dip so do crowd attendances.

I'd be shocked to learn that Brakpan, venue of the Vodacom Cup final at the
insistence of Sarfu, was more than half full.

Although their currency certainly helps, England's fans are without question
the most traveled and supportive bunch worldwide.

I recall 'fondly' masses of England's most vocal fans invading South Africa
during the 1995 Rugby World Cup while Australia is currently bracing for a
'Barmy Army' invasion during the upcoming Ashes series. Okay, different sport
but similar idea.

How do they get so much leave?!

South Africa and New Zealand in particular pride themselves on being
rugby-mad countries and more passionate than any other in terms of their
fanaticism for the game... but are we being overtaken by the English?

Is there too much rugby being played? Are we spoilt for choice?

Certainly the dwindling attendance figures at the majority of cricket stadia
in South Africa - even when the Proteas are performing - has been blamed on
the sheer volume of matches being played at present.

Is rugby heading in the same direction?

The Super 14 has expanded, Sanzar has added to the Tri-Nations fixture list
and there have been calls for an expanded Currie Cup especially if Springbok
players are indeed withdrawn.

Worrying indeed.

Quickly back to Halstead and Payne.

With the injuries suffered by backline players Bryan Habana, Andre Pretorius,
Marius Joubert and now Butch James, wouldn't it be fantastic to see Jake
White call up Halstead and Payne?

It's not like it would be a problem that the training camp in Bloemfontein
has already started as the Bulls contingent will only join this week.

More importantly perhaps is that they are actually in form at present - which
is more than can be said for Jake's other overseas backline selections Andre
Snyman and Breyton Paulse.

Go on Jake, I dare you.

Let me pick this paragraph out, in case you missed it:

Several hours earlier, and some 11 time zones ahead, the second Super 14
semi-final was played out at Jade stadium on New Zealand's south island
between the all-conquering hometown favourites, the Crusaders, and the
visiting Bulls.

The southern hemisphere's equivalent of the Heineken Cup, the Super 14 -
although the pride in winning remains comparable - doesn't enjoy similar
fanatical support in terms of spectator numbers.

I rest my case, m'lud.

William Clark
.

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