Record attendances for 2022/23 Vodacom URC

The Vodacom United Rugby Championship will set a new record for season-long attendance with over 1.6 million fans attending games by the time the final whistle is blown at this weekend’s Grand Final.

A sold-out crowd of 55,000 will watch defending champions DHL Stormers take on Munster this Saturday in Cape Town, where a new record attendance for the Vodacom URC Grand Final will be set.

With fans responding to the appeal of the Vodacom URC average attendances have grown to just shy of 10,000 (9,893) per match for the regular season, which is the highest average the league has ever recorded. All 16 teams in the Vodacom URC experienced an increase in average attendance from the 2021/22 season with overall match attendance up 36 per cent.

A total of 1,424,520 attended the regular season games in Rounds 1 to 18 with a further 152,954 coming to the six quarter- and semi-final matches. The 55,000 tickets sold for the Grand Final this weekend will see that figure for the play-off games top over 200,000 and set a new overall season record of 1,632,114.

Additionally, Leinster’s semi-final against Munster set a record attendance (26,795) for a play-off game in the UK and Ireland that wasn’t a final.

The DHL Stormers also continued to break their own records that held the title of overall highest attendances for non-final games in the play-offs with their crowds of 44,109 for their quarter-final win over the Vodacom Bulls and 47,261 coming through the gate for their semi-final victory over Connacht.

This also comes off a season where the league recorded its highest ever attendance figure for a single round when 123,307 fans turned out across all eight games in Round 11.

Martin Anayi, CEO of the United Rugby Championship, said: “We are blown away by the attendance records set across the league this season. Our teams put tremendous work into improving their match-day experiences for fans and promoting their games and this should give everyone in rugby great encouragement for next season.

“We are early days still for the URC but it is clear that fans are responding to the draw of the South African sides and the 18-round format which has increased jeopardy and competition across the board. The sell-out crowd in Cape Town this weekend is a fantastic sign of interest in URC, however, we are just as pleased with setting a new record for regular season attendances and there should be great pride across all 16 teams in that collective achievement.”

Record-Breaking Figures for Vodacom URC attendances in 2022/23

• Total cumulative attendance for R1-18 was 1,424,520, the highest in the competition history (including previous iterations)
• Average match attendance for R1-18 was 9,893 – the highest in competition history (including previous iterations)
• Total cumulative attendance for the full season (excluding Grand Final) is 1,577,114 - the highest in competition history (including previous iterations)
• Grand Final attendance of 55,000 will bring total attendance for the season to 1,632,114
• Total cumulative attendance for play-offs so far (QF and SF) is 152,954 – the highest in competition history (including previous iterations)
• Average match attendance for play-offs so far (QF and SF) is 25,432 – the highest in competition history (including previous iterations)
• Leinster v Munster set a new record for highest attendance in northern hemisphere for a non-play-off game at 26,795
• DHL Stormers set overall record for a non-Final play-off game with 47,261 attending their semi-final against Connacht
• All 16 Vodacom URC clubs have a higher average match attendance vs last season, with overall average match attendance increasing by 36%
• 123,307 record attendance for a single round recorded in Round 11

Vodacom United Rugby Championship Martin Anayi

Rescheduled Vodacom URC derbies confirmed...

The new dates for the two opening round Vodacom United Rugby Championship derbies involving the four South African teams...

Bulls and Sharks shine for SA in Vodacom URC...

The Vodacom Bulls and Hollywoodbets Sharks provided a ray of light for South Africa’s teams in the Vodacom United Rugby ...

SA sides gear up for important round before break...

Another gripping round of Vodacom United Rugby Championship action awaits this weekend as the Emirates Lions face their ...

Coastal sides bounce back as Lions remain unbeaten...

The Emirates Lions, Hollywoodbets Sharks, and DHL Stormers made it a Super Saturday for the South African franchises in ...

Late flourish sees WP defend their U21 crown...

DHL Western Province scored two tries in as many minutes at the death of an absorbing SA Rugby Under-21 final as they be...

Duarttee darts away with World Series award

Mr Mark Alexander, President of SA Rugby, congratulated Springbok Sevens playmaker Ricardo Duarttee, who was named as the Rookie of the Year at the annual HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series awards in London on Sunday evening.

More improvement on the radar as Kenya loom

The quest to improve in every match will still dominate the mindset of the Springbok Women when they take on Kenya in their second match of the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup at Maki Stadium in Antananarivo, Madagascar on Wednesday.

Golden Lions end drought, Bulls and Border win big

The Mastercard Golden Lions Women fought back against Boland Dames to secure a narrow win – their first since joining the Women’s Premier Division – while the Bulls Daisies and Border Ladies claimed bonus-point victories in the third round of the competition staged over the weekend.

French double for La Rochelle and Toulon in EPCR

French clubs Stade Rochelais and Toulon were crowned champions in the two European Professional Club Rugby competitions in their respective finals in Dublin over the weekend.

RIP Piet James Pretorius (1930-2023)

Mr Mark Alexander, the President of SA Rugby, paid tribute to former national player Piet James Pretorius, who sadly passed away over the weekend at the age of 92, as probably one of the oldest former SARU players.

Growth spurt continues for Springbok Women

A clinical first half, followed by a less convincing second gave Springbok Women interim head coach Louis Koen some points to ponder following a 48-0 win over Kenya at the Rugby Africa Women's Cup tournament in Madagascar on Wednesday.

Future stars prepare for U20 Champs' return in SA

The World Rugby U20 Championship 2023 kicks off a month from today on 24 June, when the global age-grade competition returns for the first time since 2019 before the pandemic, with rugby’s next generation of stars in action across the Western Cape in an event in which innovative technologies will be deployed to enhance the game for the first time.

Impressive victory for Springbok Women over Kenya

Nomawethu Mabenge scored four tries as the Springbok Women won their second match of the Rugby Africa Women's Cup in Madagascar by 48-0 (half-time 34-0) over Kenya on Wednesday afternoon.

The 2023 Currie Cup Bulletin #23

The battle for Currie Cup Premier Division semi-final spots reaches a key stage this weekend, and by the end of the 12th round, the playoff picture will be a lot clearer, while the First Division and Mzansi Challenge continues with matches in Kempton Park, East London and Windhoek.

Grain hits 50 as WP look to strengthen grip

The experienced Veroeshka Grain will play in her 50th provincial match for DHL Western Province when they host Gauteng visitors, the Mastercard Golden Lions Women, at Athlone Stadium on Friday in the fourth round of the SA Rugby Women’s Premier Division.