Newlands? Loftus? Kings Park? Ellis Park? All have their raw energy and electric atmosphere on match day, but only one can claim the title of The Greatest.
By Ben Karpinsky
It was a cold and wet winter’s day in 1992, the day I first went to Newlands rugby stadium. It was a special occasion. My dad had tickets for us to watch the Springboks versus then world champions Australia.
I was a young boy, so I pretty much idolised anyone over 6 feet tall. I remember arriving at the ground and feeling as if I had been transported to a parallel dimension, a place like nothing I had ever seen before. A place where rugby lived.
The game itself was dreadful. It rained throughout, the Boks got well beaten and the players were too muddy to tell apart. But the experience lived with me, ever since, and rugby stadiums have continued to fascinate and impress me.
Fast forward to today. I’m a fully grown 34-year-old man, and have been to may stadiums, and seen many an epic match. Which brings me to the question: which is SA’s best rugby ground?
We don’t have all day, so let’s narrow it down to the big four.
Loftus Versfeld: If live rugby had a smell, it would smell like Loftus. Braai smoke, the grassy surrounds, and the unmistakable bakkie fumes of die-hard fans arriving at the home of the Blue Bulls. There are a multitude of Loftus experiences, but the best is in the Highveld sun on the Oos-Pawiljoen. With a mixture of fear and fanfare, the atmosphere here is electric, and makes for an unforgettable experience.
Kings Park: In the tropical climate of Durban, the Kings Park experience is naturally a lot more laid back. It’s about pre and post drinks on the Rovers Club fields, the family environment and hanging out with friends. Rugby itself is sometimes a secondary thing.
Newlands: The home of SA rugby in the historical sense. The surrounding area adds to the authentic rugby experience with nearby bars and pubs providing compulsory starting points on match day. Come kick-off, you feel so close to the players. And then there is the mountain.
Ellis Park: As great as the above are, nothing beats Ellis Park when it comes to the best live experience. It is a larger than life place, almost daunting at times. It is the home of the 1995 World Cup, epic All Black encounters, and some of the most highly charged fans in the world. Nothing gives you goose bumps like being inside this stadium for a Bok Test. It’s not as pretty as Newlands, it isn’t as comfortable as Kings Park, but anyone who has belted out the National Anthem there knows that none of that matters once you’re inside this incredible arena of rugby awesomeness.
Disagree with me? You must be a Capetonian!
- Ben is a freelance sports writer, MC and offers sports related content campaigns for brands. He is also the sports guy on Gareth Cliff’s morning show on CliffCentral.com where he gets the freedom to air his sporting views and ‘insights’.
- This article first appeared on the Change Exchange, an online platform by BrightRock, provider of the first-ever life insurance that changes as your life changes. The opinions expressed in this piece are the writer’s own and don’t necessarily reflect the views of BrightRock.
