Cape Town is heading into a record-breaking weekend as 55 000 people gear up for the DHL Stormers vs. Munster Vodacom United Rugby Championship Grand Final this Saturday. An entourage of Cape Town’s finest, including the likes of Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and renowned author and sports journalist Mark Keohane, to name two, made their way to Smile FM’s studio to talk all things rugga with Ryan O’Connor, Ricky Schroeder, Success Lekabe and the Smile squad this morning.
- Listen to a recap of the show here.
How far would you go to score tickets for the URC finals? Edwin from Bellville tattooed Munster’s emblem on his butt cheek. It all went down on the @RyanOConnorZA Breakfast Show on @Smile904FM this morning. Here’s more:https://t.co/do8AmYnRx6 pic.twitter.com/TpS2jS1SAR
— Cape {town} Etc (@CapeTownEtc) May 25, 2023
Also in the studio was the official URC final trophy – the one Cape Town is backing the DHL Stormers to claim this Saturday. ‘It’s redemption time for the Stormers,’ Ryan said as we approach what is set to be ‘the perfect final’. Munster earlier in the season ended the DHL Stormers 21 match home winning streak. The Stormers are the defending champions having beaten the Bulls in the final at the DHL Stadium.
Tournament Director David Jordan (DJ), from Glasgow, said plenty of planning has gone into making Saturday a full day of fun. Fans are encouraged to arrive early (by 2:30pm) and stay late.
Charl Crous, COO of the URC, added that a big goal of the event is to ensure that it is accessible and enjoyable for all supporters. Beyond the game itself, the day is set to be an experience. ‘Come have a beer and a boerie roll, enjoy the beer garden, DJs and activations,’ said the South African-born and raised Crous. Keeping things open for longer will also aid the flow of traffic coming in and out of Green Point.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis stressed that traffic will be rife and that arriving early is essential. He added that the City has put sufficient infrastructure in place to ease delays. This includes additional park-and-ride busses, which will run every 10 minutes from the Northern and Southern suburbs. This transport is free of charge. Find everything you need to know about transportation here.
Further, the mayor celebrated the first sold-out game at the DHL Stadium since before the pandemic. ‘I can’t remember a time that the stadium sold out in three hours,’ he said. Former rugby player and current Smile FM sports anchor Ricky Schroeder commented on the positive impact that fans have on players. ‘It’s electrifying,’ he said.
There’s no doubt that Cape Town, South Africa and the world are ready to deliver the maximum amount of gees this weekend. Local supporter Edwin Jordaan from Bellville was also in studio. Set on getting his hands on tickets to the game, he went so far as to get a Munster emblem tattooed on his butt cheek just to get a seat.
Jordaan promised to have a Munster emblem tattooed on his left butt cheek to go along with the Stormers tattoo he already has on his right cheek. He called it ‘the ultimate grand final ticket’. Craus gave Jordaan the final two tickets available, which were also the COO’s last two guest tickets. Now, that’s a supporter! If you’re still hanging onto hope, we’re giving away one set of double tickets to a lucky Cape {town} Etc reader. Enter here. No tattoo necessary.
- Listen to a recap of the show here.
Looking overseas, Saturday’s final has been magical for Cape Town’s tourism industry. About 5 000 fans have arrived from Ireland to witness this iconic clash. ‘It’s a massive boost,’ the mayor reiterated. Of Munster, DJ added that the team loves being in Cape Town and is keen on their return to the Mother City — home of the greatest supporters in the world.
‘The URC belongs in Cape Town and will stay in Cape Town forever,’ said Mark Keohane. Saturday is just the beginning. Arrive at 2:30pm, kick-off is at 6:30pm. It’s all going down this weekend at the DHL Stadium in Green Point. Let’s go Stormers!
- Listen to a recap of the show here.
Tune in to the Ryan O’Connor Breakfast Show on Smile FM this Friday morning. John ‘Dobbo’ Dobson will be back for more URC magic. You can live stream the show here.
Experience the gees in Cape Town:
-
3 places to grab a burger within walking distance of the DHL stadium
-
5 Northern Suburbs bars to visit for that rugby ‘gees’ on Saturday
-
How to survive and thrive in any rugby experience when you aren’t a rugby fanatic
Also read:
URC Grand Final: Expect traffic delays as all roads lead to DHL Stadium
Picture: Cape {town} Etc