Johannesburg - The Bulls and Lions will unite to host back-to-back double-headers in the United Rugby Championship when the they face Leinster and Zebre Parma, respectively, next month.
Announced via a statement on Monday, the two unions have come to an agreement to host each other’s matches on consecutive weekends in Johannesburg and Pretoria.
The agreement will, therefore, see Ellis Park host the Bulls v Zebre on April 15 at 1pm, followed by the Lions’ clash against log leaders Leinster at 4pm. A week later, in round 18 action of the URC, Loftus will see the Lions face Zebre, also at 1pm; after which the Bulls will take on Leinster at 4pm.
Lions Rugby chief executive, Rudolf Straeuli welcomed the announcement and believes these double-header weekends could be a game-changer for fans and rugby in general.
“We are incredibly excited at the prospect of hosting quality international club sides all in one day at the iconic Ellis Park. Heading across the Jukskei the following weekend to Loftus doesn’t get any better from an overall ‘sportainment’ experience by the two host franchises,” Straeuli said.
“Since its inception, the URC has been at the forefront of sports innovation and these upcoming double-header weekends are testament to this.”
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“Sport in South Africa is constantly in search of creativity especially when it comes to fan engagement, and we believe that through this unique collaboration, rugby in particular can lead the way in bringing stakeholders together and growing the game for the greater good.”
Across the Jukskei, Edgar Rathbone – the Blue Bulls Company chief executive commended the tournament officials for their flexibility in supporting clubs that are seeking to create meaningful experiences for fans around the competition.
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“I commend Martin (Anayi) and the entire URC team, our sponsors and the broadcaster(s) for their unwavering support as we are always exploring ways in which we can better our offering to all of our patrons. The spirit of the competition is one that fosters unity among the franchises, and we are duty bound to collaborate for the growth and betterment of our sport,” Rathbone said.
“We are buoyant that this double-header will add value for the money South Africans spend around gamedays and ultimately we are also confident that the quality of rugby on display will rubber-stamp the tournament’s legacy in the growth of the sport in our country.”
IOL Sport