The Silver Fern

https://x.com/THESTORMERS/status/1872973548517769249?t=lDdrGlJ190uqfiPzvPiwgw&s=19

43,000 sold this morning for Stormers vs Sharks.in CT Stadium

URC attendance record broken again
Previous best single-round attendances:

146,046 – Round 9 of the 2023/24 season
135,747 – Round 8 of the 2023/24 season
123,307 – Round 11 of the 2022/23 season
121,117 – Round 21 of the 2017/18 season

Round Eight Attendances

Ulster v Munster: 14,313
Benetton v Zebre Parma: 5,000
Stormers v Lions: 22,410
Sharks v Bulls: 34,827
Ospreys v Scarlets: 6,836
Leinster v Connacht: 33,963
Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh: 27,538
Dragons v Cardiff : 8,511

153,398

@Frank PRG are top rank in SA. This side was their u17s , next year u18.

Final now live

Paul Roos is SA nr 1 rank and went unbeaten this year. This group is u17 and building for next year. Keenan Stoffels is a player to watch.

Paul Roos vs Kelson final

@cgrant Its working well in South Africa. We play our local derbies at the coast over the festive season and draw the best crowds during this time. In Jan /Feb the inland have it summer rains to cool things down. Matches at 19h00 is perfect for rugby.

Sharks vs Bulls URC match is a 52,000 sold out this weekend.

Blaming the Saffers for a failed competition make no sense. Glasgow field a B team on the weekend. Leinster do this all the time as do many French clubs for ages. The Sharks and Stormers have the most Springboks and like Plumtree quoted, they are not robots but athletes. The Stormers are under pressure in the URC with the local derbies coming up. The ruling of no SA teams can host semi finals also dont help. This will change from June 2025 after we paid our debt to become full partners.

However I think they can fix the competition easily by playing it in the end of the season. SA teams can stay and play their 2 matches or chuck the SA teams meaning we can play our CC.earlier and prepare for TRC.

@Dodge surely you wont miss beating the Stormers on the weekend

5 July: SA v Italy
12 July: SA v Italy
19 July: SA v Georgia
16 August: SA v Australia
23 August: SA v Australia
6 September All Blacks vs Springboks Eden Park
13 September All Blacks vs Springboks Cake Tin
27 September: SA v Argentina

@Mauss They were the best Mannetjies Roux, Piet Visagie, Joggie Viljoen (grandson playing for NZ U20).

@Mauss Net vir jou, I rooted from the Kwaste.

@Mauss South Africa rugby structure haven't change. But the importance of our lowest level changed a lot. Our top rugby schools is much more mixed race the before. Schoolboy rugby have a lot more media exposure via Super Schools. Rugby schools in Boland get double applications to what they can take in, ext. Meaning the factory is running on double speed compare to 2018. We struggle to get the Currie Cup calendar right which bring the below franchise rugby through. This year they got it right. Rassie use the CC to keep his Springboks for TRC match fit.

RG Snyman play for Leinster, Kleyn for Munster, Pollard and Wiese for Leicester. Rassie have been at Munster.

They would never been the players/coaches if it wasn't for that experience

@Bones I am not sure what your stats means. If you want to create depth you will get knock over. Rassie brought 50+ players through and had 2 close losses. The Springboks will pull away .

The longer NZ take to select oversea's players, the better for the Springboks. We have been through this many times.

Sharks team vs Stormers
: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Ethan Hooker, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Siya Masuku, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Siya Kolisi (captain), 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 James Venter, 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Dylan Richardson, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Ethan Bester, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Corne Rahl, 20 Phepsi Buthelezi, 21 Emmanuel Tshituka, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Jordan Hendrikse.

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Date: Saturday, November 30
Venue: Kings Park, Durban
Kick-off: 17.00 (15.00 GMT)
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Christopher Allison (South Africa), Hanru van Rooyen (South Africa)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)

Ireland to smash the Wallabies. They are on next level compare to Scotland.