Calling all South African rugby supporters. Get to The Stoop on Friday night and be a part of Vodacom United Rugby Championship history when the Sharks play the Ospreys.
South Africans are expected to dominate crowd numbers as the Hollywoodbets Sharks get the luxury of a ‘home’ atmosphere on the road.
It will be a much-needed injection for the Hollywoodbets Sharks, who started the league with two successive away defeats against Irish giants Munster and Leinster.
Many will be dressed in Sharks colours but most are expected to wear the green and gold of the world champion Springboks.
Friday night’s rugby action, at the home of Harlequins, is the ideal venue and occasion for South Africans to continue the week-long celebrations of the Springboks winning a fourth World Cup title.
The Springboks this week are touring South Africa parading the World Cup, and in South West London on Friday night those London-based South Africans can show their appreciation in filling the Stoop’s 14 800 capacity.
The Stoop, named after one of Harlequins’s most iconic players, Adrian Stoop, was the choice of Ospreys as a venue because of the unavailability of the Welsh club’s home stadium in Swansea.
The Ospreys are shared tenants with Swansea City and the soccer side takes priority when fixtures overlap, and Friday night is one of three times in the season when the Ospreys will take a home match elsewhere.
The strong South African residency in London added appeal to moving the match to The Stoop, with the Hollywoodbets Sharks very popular among South Africans in London.
According to the UK’s office for National Statistics, there are 255 000 South Africans resident in the country and 53 000 of them are based in London and 5000 are in areas like Twickenham and Richmond.
URC Chief Executive Martin Anayi endorsed the historic match and said the URC championed ‘new and innovative ideas’. Taking the URC to London was particularly innovative and it is likely to be the first of many such ideas as the URC grows its global rugby footprint.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks are no strangers to such an initiative, in 2011 they played New Zealand’s Crusaders at Twickenham. The Crusaders played all their matches in 2011 on the road because of the Christchurch earthquake that destroyed their home stadium.
The match, a nine-try thriller won 44-28 by the Crusaders, sold out on the 40 000 tickets made available.
The Stoop’s capacity is smaller but the atmosphere will be electric in a match that represents a homecoming of sorts for Hollywoodbets Sharks coach John Plumtree, who spent five years as coach of The Ospreys.
The Sharks, who will be without their World Cup winning squad members for a few rounds, will still field seven Springboks in their starting XV.
The most significant of these seven is left wing Aphiwe Dyanti, who plays again after a four year ban. Dyanti was sensational in making his Springboks debut in 2018 and refused to plead guilty to a positive test for illegal substances. He maintained his innocence and got four years, instead of two had he pleased guilty.
Fullback Aphelele Fassi, like Dyanti, will bring pace to a back three complemented by rugged right wing Werner Kok, the former Blitzboks powerhouse.
Curwin Bosch starts again at flyhalf, despite suggestions he may play fullback.
For the Ospreys, Harri Deaves gets his first start of the season in a rejigged loose-trio and No 8 Morgan Morris the captain.
Winger Toby Fricker also starts for the first time.
South African fans can get a taste of home as the Braai Army turn the fan village into the Sharks Fan Park with a post-match braai serving boerie and steak rolls.
Welsh supporters can join Ospreys supporters at London Welsh Rugby Club for the Ospreys Fan Zone from 14:00 where there will be drinks specials and more.
To keep the crowd going throughout the evening, there will be a live DJ in bowl kicking off at 18:20. Gates open at 18:00 so get there early and enjoy a great night out with world-class rugby on show
Rugby fans eager to see this clash of cultures as Ospreys take on Hollywoodbets Sharks at Twickenham Stoop can get tickets from only £19 for adults and £15 for U18s. Get yours now at:https://www.eticketing.co.uk/harlequins/EDP/Event/Index/1524
Photo: Bryan Keane/©INPHO