Boks Management Elaborate On Bold Strategy To Take Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry To Baltimore
South African Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer and Springbok General Manager Charles Wessels lifted the lid on the reasons SA Rugby opted to take the Fourth Test to Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States, when the Springboks take on fierce rivals New Zealand in the series dubbed Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.
Whilst many South African rugby fans were aware that the possibility of taking the fourth test in the series overseas was highly likely, it was met with some disconcertion when the city of Baltimore, in the state of Maryland in the United States of America, was confirmed as the host city.
Oberholzer and Wessels underlined the reasons thereof, stating the importance of giving the Springbok brand greater exposure with an eye on the 2031 Rugby World Cup to be hosted in the USA.
“For us as SA Rugby to keep on creating financial stability, we have to start looking at taking our brand wider than just South Africa,” said Oberholzer. “We know about the support we have in London, and you all saw when we played there the massive SA support we have.”
“America is a very important market for us in the run-up to the 2031 World Cup. We want to establish ourselves there as a team that is known to the majority of Americans, that will support the game,” explained the SA Rugby CEO.
Oberholzer went on to divulge the importance of their relationship with corporate sponsors and how fostering a strong relationship with them was a necessity for the expansion of the Springbok brand.
“Nike, as our sponsor, sees it as important for us to establish the brand there,” Oberholzer mentioned. “The Springboks are the only brand sponsored by Nike, so we must work on that relationship. As an international sponsor, Coca-Cola is also keen for us to move there, so yes, it definitely played a role with an eye on 2031.”
“World Rugby’s vision of expanding the game in America encouraged us to try to take some of our matches to America, so it’s a combination of the two – for us it’s to take our brand into America, but it’s also to support World Rugby on their investment in rugby in America,” elaborated Oberholzer.
Wessels, who travelled to Baltimore to scout the city and conditions the Springboks would be playing in, spoke glowingly and with great enthusiasm about their home away from home at the M&T Bank Stadium.
“America is not short on facilities – the temperatures for the time we will be there will be between 16-27 degrees, high-tech stadium seating 70 000 with good training facilities at the University of Maryland,” said Wessels, “So we’re looking forward to the contest against the All Blacks in Baltimore with an eye on working towards 2031.”
Both the Springboks and the All Blacks have a history of playing matches on US soil. New Zealand has played numerous games in Chicago in recent years, taking on Ireland and the USA, as well as in San Diego (v Fiji) and Washington, DC (v USA). South Africa faced the USA in Houston in 2001 and most recently visited Washington, D.C. in 2018 to face Wales, in what was Rassie Erasmus’s first game in charge.
There is, however, always a sense of trepidation when heading into unknown territories, but Oberholzer seemed taken aback by the response to rugby’s two greatest and most historic teams playing each other in America.
“We are also very surprised by the ticket sales,” exclaimed Oberholzer. “The way it’s going, it’s nearly sold out in Baltimore.”
“Many people said, are you sure the Americans will want to see New Zealand and South Africa play? It’s very clear that they do.”
