Durban - Western Province’s shift to the “home of football” in Cape Town, Athlone Stadium, for their next two Currie Cup games suits them down to the ground — literally.
That is the view of their assistant coach Norman Laker, who believes the decision to save the Cape Town Stadium pitch for the United Rugby Championship final next Saturday is not only a favour to their big brothers, the Stormers, but also to the Currie Cup team.
The venue is by no means small — it is a 34 000 seater -- and Laker is confident that locals from the Cape Flats will pack it out to watch Province in an intimate and not overly big venue.
It certainly does a good job for Cape Town Spurs and it can do the same for WP when they host the Pumas there on Friday (5pm kickoff) and the Lions next Friday.
“It is going to be a great occasion on Friday when we play the Pumas, the defending Currie Cup champions,” said Laker. “Not for nothing are they the champions and we all know what a good coach Jimmy Stonehouse is.”
WP have never before played on the ground that was used as a training venue during the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
“We are cherishing the opportunity to play there – especially for the people of Cape Town to see their Currie Cup team play in Athlone,” Laker said. “I think the Pumas will also enjoy playing there and I’m sure we will get a good crowd and a great atmosphere.”
The well-publicised reason for the move is the state of the Cape Town Stadium pitch and Laker says the Athlone Stadium field is in better shape.
“I hear that the ground is not too bad. It is something new for us and we’re looking forward to playing there,” he said.
@MikeGreenaway