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The Western Province Rugby Union have confirmed that they have no intention of playing rugby at the Cape Town Stadium.
The stadium, which was constructed for the soccer World Cup, has long been a bone of contention, with the Cape Town city council eager to see the union become full time tenants of the stadium.
This desire became more desperate after it was announced that SAIL Stadefrance Operating Company (SSOC) had withdrawn from its proposed long-term lease of the stadium due to the cost of the operation.
However, WPRU insist they will not wither under pressure from the city council who have said they will now be seeking remuneration from the union for the use of traffic services on match days.
"We view it as blackmail," WPRU president Tobie Titus told News24.
"It's a subtle way of getting us to use the Cape Town Stadium. It was never an issue before."
Titus remains adamant that no Test matches would take place at Cape Town Stadium.
The WPRU president went on to add that local rugby clubs - who act as the union's shareholders - had decided in their monthly meeting in September that the union would continue to be based at Newlands.
Morné du Plessis, executive chairperson of SAIL Stadefrance, remains confident the stadium will be well utilised, explaining that while rugby may not take place there soccer matches, concerts and festivals would.
Comments
spliffed says...
WP at Newlands forver
Posted 02:08 09th October 2010
Rognvald says...
A long time ago I played the odd game of rugby at newlands and at the now Green Point Stadium. I also competed in athletics at the Stadium. On arecent visit to the city of my birth I drove around the said stadium. It's still miserable and a cow of a place . It felt marginally better if I (we) won.
Posted 11:22 08th October 2010