The historic moments keep coming in the Guinness
PRO14 as South Africa readies itself to host their first-ever
Championship games this weekend.
The Southern Kings will welcome four-time champions Leinster Rugby
to Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday before the
Toyota Cheetahs take on Zebre in Bloemfontein later that evening.
To all our new fans in South Africa I wish to welcome you and your clubs
to the Guinness PRO14 and we share your excitement about what lies
ahead. Of course, it’s not been an easy start to the season for the Cheetahs
and the Kings, but both clubs have already won plenty of supporters with
their free-flowing approach to the game.
We’re looking forward to seeing them grow into the Championship and
I’m sure there will be plenty for their home crowds to shout about this
weekend.
Of course, the addition of the Cheetahs and the Kings has brought positive
change to the Championship with a Conference system and an extended
Guinness PRO14 Final Series. The Top 3 from each Conference will qualify
which gives your team an even greater chance of reaching the knock-outs
and emulating Scarlets’ sensational title win.
It’s great for us to have SuperSport on board to broadcast our games in
South Africa while Eurosport have also continued on as our broadcast
partners in Italy which is terrific news for fans right across the
Championship. In fact, their addition to our stable of broadcast partners
means that the Guinness PRO14 is available in over 155 countries and
territories across the world.
We’ve also worked closely with our unions to schedule those Derbies away
from international windows, too. Like you, we want to see the best players
in the best games because we are hugely proud of the 295 Internationals
who played in the Championship last season, not to mention the 26 called
up for the British & Irish Lions tour.
You only have to look at our recent champions in Scarlets, Connacht,
Glasgow Warriors and Leinster to see the type of adventurous rugby it
takes to win our title. Looking back to the previous campaign we saw a
record number of tries scored (711) while crowds were up and nowhere
was that more evident than at the Final at Aviva Stadium.
A new record attendance saw Scarlets’ scintillating play prove too much
for Munster in a game that showcased the attacking calibre of our
Championship. Just one of the reasons that makes it so exciting to bring
the first ever Guinness PRO14 Final to Dublin on May 26, 2018.
I’m also delighted to say we will again implement an Early Bird o¡er for
fans who decide to back their teams and buy their tickets well in advance
on
www.ticketmaster.iewhere prices start from €5 for Children and €30
for adults.
Martin Anayi
Chief Executive O£cer