In an effort to improve their relationships with the KZN schools, provide the experience of a lifetime for school 1st XV players and encourage school rugby supporters to head down to Kings Park, the Sharks have relaunched school rugby curtain-raisers at Kings Park. These will be held on Super Rugby match days.
Many years ago local high schools scheduled early 1st XV kickoffs on the days when Natal played home games, to afford school kids and parents the opportunity to get down to the stadium on time and support the “Banana Boys”. Being invited to play a curtain-raiser at Kings Park was also regarded as a huge honour back then and the chance did not come around too often. In recent years the Union and schools have drifted apart, causing the Sharks to lose out on ground attendance, as high schools tended to give their own inter-schools rugby preference.
| DATE | TEAM | TEAM | EXTRA DETAILS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 21 Feb | Thomas More | Pinetown | |||
| Sat 21 Feb | Port Natal | Richards Bay | |||
| Sat 21 Feb | SHARKS | LIONS | 19h10 kickoff | ||
| Sat 21 Mar | Treverton | Grant Leigh | |||
| Sat 21 Mar | SHARKS | CHIEFS | 19h10 kickoff | ||
| Sat 28 Mar | DHS | Northwood | |||
| Sat 28 Mar | SHARKS | FORCE | 17h05 kickoff | ||
| Sat 18 Apr | Maritzburg College | Glenwood | |||
| Sat 18 Apr | SHARKS | BULLS | 17h05 kickoff | ||
| Fri 29 May | Crawford La Lucia | South City | Full inter-schools | ||
| Sat 13 Jun | TBC | ||||
| Sat 13 Jun | SHARKS | STORMERS | 19h10 kickoff |
@Ploegskaar: Hahaha,
@Anti Green: Oh, so not the other way around. Damn and blast those scallywags blaming the rugby, players, structures, Union and the man at the very top!
@Ploegskaar: Morning, probably both. The rugby been played is horrible due to the lack of support.
@seabass: Yes and you have a ton to give back
@upcountry: Sadly what happens when you invest all your resources in pensioners instead of contracting most of the top young talent in your province and supplementing with a few from outside. Good contracting of juniors also requires proper systems, supported by an informed network and managed by an unbiased person with intimate knowledge of SBR first and foremost. Anyone can scout a player that is good, very few apparently one that will be good.
@Ploegskaar: Looking at last years scores for the u/19 and u/20’s i think its the rugby
@Anti Green: During those curtain raisers, do you think it sounds like a morgue because of the lack of spectators, or the rugby on display?
@Anti Green: hello Butchie, you forget that the I will be there so half the chicks in Durban will rush to buy a ticket. Its my way of giving back
Ok in the real world … it will lack a bit of gees but we have made it compulsory for the whole High school and encouraged the prep kids to attend when we play on June 13th against Pietown Boys. Looking forward to it, must say! Come down we can have a few cold ones 
For the schoolboy it is a great privilege and it is an experience that they will cherish. There is the cost factor but for the boys playing it is exciting.
I like the fact that they are including the less fancied schools. Good thing.
@seabass: Howzit Seabass, I was at the CPT10’s it was Epic. In your day Kingspark was a different place. The stadium would be a sell out for a game against Eastern Transvaal. There will be more spectators at the schools, which drive the boys to play better. The scholars will be lost in the stands no real school spirit for the teams on the field. It’s a great idea but I don’t think it will work. Just look at the spectator count when the Sharks u19 or u20’s are the curtain raiser, that Stadium sounds like a morgue.
We need to consider the kids view here. I believe that most kids would love the opportunity to play at a super rugby venue. Perhaps the game can be on tv as well. At least on the shark tank series.
@GreenBlooded: It seems like the schools can arrange tickets for parents at discounted prices in a set aside part of the ground.
Here is the pricing equation:
1. Visualise the worst part of the ground to sit in
If the image you’ve formed in your mind includes a roof above your head, a good view of the big screen, easy access to a beer refill point, an intercom free space where Dave McLeod’s voice is somehow drowned out and/or a position in line with where the flasher girls are designated to stop and do their act, tone it down Hans Christian Andersen, you are being way too ambitious
2. Now that you’re correctly visualised the worst seat in the house which happens to be dirty and in an aisle that is narrower than all the rest due to a structural design flaw, imagine the maximum price a reasonable person should be expected to pay for that seat
3. Multiple the figure you arrive at in pt.2 by 200%
That is your discounted price
Don’t forget to be grateful!
@Gungets Tuft:
Sure all schoolboys (in uniform) would get free entrance. It was always the case in my day when we played at KPS. Not sure about the parents.
@BOG: just type “now” when you want me to delete your comments about the 21st
@BOG: 100% correct – Saturday the 21st at 19h10
@Dixon’s: @GreenBlooded: Agree that it is not ideal for the fixtures to happen away from the school – however – given that this year there is no return fixture for MC vs GW – perhaps an amicable middle ground?
From a lurker on this site
The Sharks must give free tickets to all scholars wearing the school uniform on that day. I think he said even the parents.
There must be a way – it’s not as if the stadium is full these days, even the biggest KZN derbies only draw max 10,000 people.
@beet: The Sharks confidence must be sky high. They are playing the Lions and the Chiefs on the same day and the same time?
@beet: I played for the Ville against Glenwood in 1990 on Kings Park. Was an experience I will never forget, and still have the photos and programme from the big day. Something most schoolboys want to be a part of. For the record we klapped Glenwood that day
@Rugger fan: I think you hit the nail on the head with this:
“And not just rhetoric that they bundle out without any real commitment”
@Dixon’s:
I agree with your sentiments regarding Kings Park Stadium. The worst for me are the exhorbitant prices for food and drinks – they have a captive customer base, refuse entry of anything into the stadium and then proceed with what can only be described as legal mugging. Same goes for the parking. Add to this the debacle with the British Marine getting beaten to death and nah – I watch at home nowdays despite having access to season tickets via the referees society.
Glenwood vs College needs to happen at Glenwood or College. A lot that goes with the occasion will be lost at the park.
@Dixon’s: @Dixon’s: I must admit that although i have a season ticket, I also feel that the school rugby experience is a lot more worthwhile than going to Kings Park. For College vs Glenwood on a jam-packed Goldstones, the 160km round trip is well worth it. College vs Glenwood at a 80% empty Kings Park, no as enjoyable.
The Sharks need to be proactive after neglecting some basics so good on them for managing to organise this. Lets see if they can keep it going next year. That might tell something about the relationships they were able to build and the success of it from the viewpoint of the schools.
@Dixon’s: I heard an interview on ECR with a new marketin lady. It does seem like the Sharks under john Smit are trying to pull back some of the atmosphere at kings Park and build crowd loyalty. But its difficult nowadays – just think of the huge crowds at Kingsmead cricket in the 80’s – now – hardly even for a ODI!
I think they need to try a number of different things – Moses Mabida / cleaning seats / free tickets to ladies / prize giveaways / jacuzzis / no smoking or alcohol family sections….. whatever.
I’m always supportive if they are genuinely trying something – and I think this is the case here. And not just rhetoric that they bundle out without any real commitment. But I guess the proof will really be in the pudding at the end of the day. We almost lost 1 old RFC to a football/soccer academy – so let’s hope this keeps the momentum in the right direction.
@BOG: This is not a mistake. There are 2 curtain-raisers of 60mins per game on 21 Feb.
After last Saturdays performance, the Sharks need something to draw spectators. They should be playing the curtain raiser on some days. I notice that they will be playing two matches on the 21st
@RUGBYMAD: Agree.When I was at Maritzburg Varsity we played at a empty Kingspark on a Tuesday night against Rovers as there was too much glass on the outside fields from the big game on the Saturday.Still remember the change rooms etc
@Dixon’s: so true,Kings Park is old and run down,seating is always flipping dirty,they need to make a plan asap.Lots of history there thro,bringing back some curtain raisers will help and as you say the kids love it.PE stadium is the only stadium that i have seen a gang of workers wiping the seats down before a game
@Rugger fan: i fully understand the thrill for the boys of plying at Kings Park and i will never want to take that away from them.
my point is that the Sharks/John Smit seem to think that fans dont go down to the stadium because of the clash with schools rugby. but if you look at the crowd for this past weekend and even going back a few years (when there was no clash with schools rugby) the crowns have been very poor. i was a season ticket holder but the match day experience was not worth it anymore. i didnt renew my ticket and i didnt even get a call from them to ask why. moving schools games will not help the crowds at Kings Park. The Sharks must seriously look at moving to Moses Mabhida and stop making such a fuss about suite holders, more people watch from the stands than in a box. but the Sharks make more of a fuss about them than they do about the average fan in the stands!
I am sure if you asked the players they would overwhelmingly want to play the curtainraiser.
I think this is a great initiative. Perhaps not ideal as Dixons has pointed out – but I have long felt that the Sharks franchise could be doing a lot more at the junior level to build brand loyalty and “pride” in the sharks. This may do a lot to alleviate a talent drain out of the province (and the country) when the boys reach senior level. Things like taking representative players on a tour through the Shark Tank (change rooms, gym etc.) at their capping ceremony for schools or club representatives (by no means expensive – but creates an impression on young minds). I’m also happy to see that it is not just the big traditional schools getting the runs – but also smaller schools from Grantleigh, Treverton all the way through to the Kearsney, GW, MC and HC schools.
Dixons – you also have the lack of the full school for war cries, traditions etc. – but what a privilege for the bulk of these guys – they are not likely to ever play at a test stadium again.
I certainly support this initiative. It may not be ideal – but at least the Sharks are trying things is my call.
Im not keen. I would much rather watch at Glenwood or any other school than the hassle of going down to Kings Park. R60 cheapest match ticket, no reasonably priced secure parking (R50 at Rovers is a rip off) then trek to the stadium, basically climb a mountain to get to a cramped seat. R20 for a cooldrink, terribly overpriced food, takes forever to get back to the car and the sit in traffic for ages to get out of the area. has anyone one that makes decisions like this actually thought that some fans watch at schools because they simply prefer it, not because there is a clash with the Sharks. dont get me wrong, i love the Sharks and always will, but going to game is just to much of a shlep. pity that what should be a cracker of a College-Glenwood game now seems to be at Kings Park, instead of at a school as it should be!
What great opportunity for school boys first team rugby players to play
at a great stadium for the first time in their lives. I am sure that experience
will stay in their hearts for ever. Great think Johan Botes is doing.