Newlands fate to be announced today: Thursday 19 January

The Western Province Rugby Football Union will hold a press conference on Thursday where they will address the future of the Newlands stadium.

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Videos showing the stadium falling into disrepair have circulated social media disturbing rugby fans the world over.

SA Rugby to make their call

SARU appointed administrator Rian Oberholzer has promised to address the media regarding “the future of Newlands Stadium and the effect thereof on Western Province Rugby and the Stormers.”

WPRFU General Manager Danny Jones and Stormers head coach John Dobson are set to join Oberholzer at the presser.

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The Stormers last played at Newlands back in 2021 and since the full move to the DHL Stadium, the former home of rugby in the Western Cape has had no stewards.

Former Springbok Wynand Claassen succeeded in derailing the process of selling the stadium with his ‘Save Newlands’ campaign.

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‘Save Newlands’ faces opposition 

However, his bid to have Newlands declared a heritage site has met with opposition.

Prominent Western Cape club rugby figure Mogamat Stuurman slammed the former Springbok captain in an open letter.

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“WPRFU is owned by the clubs in the Western Cape,” he said in his letter, adding: “Who or what God gave you the right to lay claim to the stadium and promote it as if you are the owners?

“Now can I please request that you remove my email from your mailing list and get your life in order?

“Go play with your grand children and let them get in line like we all need to get in line to be recognised by those in charge.

“Newlands is no heritage site, it’s a place where coloured people were treated like the scum of the earth, and I support it being developed or demolished,” Stuurman wrote.

There is no going back for Western Province and the Stormers and it is likely that efforts to sell the land will resume.

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