As a supporter I would like for All Black games to be spread but understand what they are doing. Oh…and I am WP supporter living in JHB

Boet Erasmus was the worst major stadium to watch rugby:

Not much atmosphere, spectators positioned quite far from the field, located in a natural dip as a virtual wind-tunnel of sorts, & worst of all the spectators started streaming homewards across the open stand as soon as it became obvious the local team, whether that be EP or the Bokke, was going to lose – some local fans had no ‘skaam’ leaving midway through the 2nd half… hopefully that has changed with the move to the grand new stadium?

But whilst it was not a great arena to watch rugby, it often dished up a great fight which EP seldom lost…

{sigh … the days of yore … not hore}

It’s strange, I’ve been thinking how the All Blacks have all but admitted how they hate playing at Ellis Park yet SARU doesn’t take advantage of it.

If he says Ellis Park is special – who are we to argue… I’m not, it sounds like you’re not.

It was my first time to Ellis Park this year for the Bok/Eng test, and I tell you what – the atmosphere blew me away, and my English mates who were with me…

A great stadium transcends “state of the art” or location… Ellis Park is in a sh.itty spot, but hellsteeth the spirit of rugby is strong there… The spontaneity of crowd support and pride that you only find in great stadiums is as much there as any other…

As a comparator, I also attended the Bok/Aus test at Loftus – beautiful stadium, better location, but fark me it wasn’t the same…

Even Kings Park doesn’t come close… and Newlands? Dont make an honest rugga supporter farken larf his arseoff…

Ellis Park up there with Twickenham, Millenium and Stade as the very best gladiatorial arena for the great game

Now that’s a FACT

I don’t practice Santeria
I ain’t got no crystal ball
Well I had a million dollars but I
I’d spend it all

His reply went something like this: “Well, in all my years of watching test rugby all around the world and being a Scotsman as well, Murrayfield is obviously very special and dear to me.

“But I once went into a deserted stadium during the week, stood on the centre spot and had a good look around the stadium. I couldn’t help it, the tears just rolled down my cheeks…”

He was talking about Ellis Park.

RIP Bill

I would love to see the rugby calendar go something like this for the Springboks

January -June SuperRugby

June – 3 test match series e.g. Wales or England to tour.

July – August – Rugby Championship

November – Tour Europe 3 Test matches & 2 midweek games against club sides – More players get experience for South Africa ‘A’team which could be given a name ibstead of Emerging springboks and would mean that players already capped could tour and play without being tacklebag holders and also means everyone will get used to SA systems.

The Currie Cup could run from August – October and only 8 week tournament with Springboks being involved from The middle of September to the play-offs.

They would get a break after the June tests until the beginning of rugby championship and from the end of November to the start of January.

Ellis Park is categorically the stadium with the best Test match atmosphere in SA…

It actually sits quite comfortably with other iconic Stadiums like Twickenham, Millenium Stadium, Stade de France in terms of pure atmosphere…

Dynamite Stadium is good, but Ellis Park is great…

No other stadium in SA comes close. FACT

From 1965 to 2006 the Transvaal (Golden Lions) RFU was very influential in the SARB (SARU) through its then sequence of strong-willed, connected, influential & politically (used in its broad sense) astute Presidents, Jannie Le Roux, Louis Luyt & Basil van Rooyen, the last two who served as SARU Presidents. {Of the 3 Luyt is also an astute businessman & he performed a financial miracle at the then virtually bankrupt union he inherited from Le Roux).

Hence it is quite understandable that in NZ the idea took hold that SARU power was wielded from Ellis Park rather than Newlands – de facto that was probably the situation for a duration of 4 decades plus…

{Jeesh, how the mighty have fallen! – no wonder the pervasive hysteria about The Kings…}