Copyright photo: Fotosport / Andrew Cornaga
Opinion
A smallish, weather-beaten audience did their best in bringing home the Blues in Friday night’s Super Rugby Pacific Semi-Final, but a much larger and more vocal crowd is needed this Saturday to neutralise the aggravating clatter of cowbells.
In what promises to be a scintillating affair, The Blues, playing for their first piece of Super silverware in over 20 years, meet their rivals from beyond the Bombays who were impressive in administering capital punishment upon the highly-fancied Hurricanes.
Despite being pipped 20-25 in last season’s climax by the Crusaders, The Chiefs’ ascension to the 2024 final was not in the front mind of sports scribes when they made their picks a few weeks ago.
They will meet a Blues side full of confidence who needs to feed off the energy only a big crowd can provide.
In the lead-up to Saturday, social media has been ignited by predictions by the learned and uninitiated alike.
Amongst the hyperbole and provincial bombast is a common thread that Aucklanders are crap when it comes to supporting their team, and by right the Blues somehow deserve to lose the final based on mediocre attendance this season at the Garden of Eden.
These opinions are not without merit.
Despite a huge population, there is general unawareness or disinterest in rugby in Auckland. A loyal Warriors fanbase coupled with a large immigrant population who often have no affinity for the game significantly depletes bums on seats.
Promoters and broadcasters must also be held accountable for scheduling games on Friday nights when traffic is at a standstill. The crowd for the Semi-final also was undoubtedly impacted by the Metservice who issued a significant rain warning which failed to materialise.
While bandwagoners, Chiefs fans and the lure of a game featuring several All Blacks will undoubtedly boost attendance, a war cry must be issued through social channels to raise awareness of the national game in New Zealand’s biggest market.
See you there.
