Away ends in Premiership Rugby have arrived, but what do fans think?
One of the commandments of the “Rugby Values” brigade is the ability for home and away fans to sit next to each other, enjoy a beer and have some healthy banter.
For the vast majority of rugby fans this approach is the preferred one, with the kettling of supporters pre-and post-match – as is the case in some other sports and leagues globally – wildly unnecessary.
But for others there’s a yearning to create a meaningful away atmosphere to support their team on the road.
In this week’s Premiership a trial will commence when Saracens host Gloucester. Sections of the stadium, across three separate stands, have been reserved for away fans.
Leicester Tigers’ match against Harlequins – who have prided themselves on taking big numbers of fans to away trips – next week will see a similar trial in place.
But what do fans of the clubs involved think? City AM asked around.
Gloucester Rugby – Ed Price of the Cherry Jam podcast
“There are plenty of other issues facing rugby in England that should take priority over away fan areas. The idea isn’t a bad one, and I am sure it will create an atmosphere particularly in those grounds not renowned for a lot of noise.
“Gloucester supporters have always looked to clump together when watching the side, especially in Europe. Making it easier for supporters to do this can only be a good thing, but the cost of tickets is the biggest barrier.”
Saracens – RugbySaracens twitter account
“Gloucester and all other away fans are, and have always been, welcome at StoneX. Sing, cheer and have fun. It’s strange there’s any fuss about the idea of selling tranches of tickets to away fans so they can sit in a group together, if that’s if they want.
“The Saracens Supporters Association and several other clubs’ fan groups have done this for years, working well with ticket offices for away games to book group (often discounted) tickets in blocks. Leicester Tigers, for example, are fantastic for offering this already.
“Not all clubs are though and need to buy into the idea quickly. Don’t be afraid of away support or think you have to scatter them around the ground. If away fans want to buy singles, doubles or whatever in any other part of the ground then let them, but offer both.”
Harlequins – Friends of the Stoop X account
“I personally don’t have any objection at all, as long as people still have a choice and it doesn’t become a “you must sit here” situation.
“However I do see some potential issues: will season ticket holders be moved and will there be a premium to pay? Quinssa [Harlequins’ supporters group] have been doing a great job of arranging tickets for Quins for many years, and have always proved popular for the big Euro games and playoffs and think this is where it would work well.
“But for a Friday night in Sale in November, I don’t see the need for it (no offence to Sale) because the numbers don’t travel to make it warranted.”
Leicester Tigers – Elliott Butlin, Rolling Maul podcast
“There are multiple reasons why I am a proponent of away ends in rugby; any listener to the podcast I am co-host of, The Rolling Maul, can testify to that.
“It has the potential to bring better atmospheres – check out any rugby league game for example – or cheaper tickets for away fans, both of which would be strong improvements.
“Fundamentally I like them because there are multiple ways to watch and experience a game.
“However rugby union has decided that watching a game with opposition fans is the only way to properly watch and enjoy, yet for significant numbers of fans, that is not the case.
“Providing greater options for supporters to enjoy a game is no bad thing, and it confuses me why expanding viewing options is seen as a bad thing.”
What the league says
It appears, then, that there’s a mix of viewpoints amongst fans involved in the trial over the next two rounds of Premiership action.
Fans want cheaper tickets first, but the versatility away sections could offer supporters who want to make noise could help rugby attract new spectators.
Rob Calder, chief growth officer at Premiership Rugby, said: “The opportunity to trial these away zones during the run-in is a progressive step for rugby.
“Home and away fans sitting together, sharing a drink and chatting about the game, is a great tradition of our sport and there is no desire to change that. This project is about providing an additional ticketing option to travelling supporters.
“We’ve also listened to our players who say that they thrive off the noise and energy that a vocal cluster of away support can bring.”
Away ends: the verdict
Away ends in rugby should help to improve the atmosphere at stadiums which often lack in buzz, and it is something others are looking to replicate already with Welsh URC club Ospreys insisting they, too, will implement away sections when they move to a new stadium next season.
They offer a chance for fans to sit together and make noise, while not limiting others’s preference to watch from wherever they want.
The issue lies with the lack of tickets offered. For the Gloucester fans at Saracens the tickets are spread across three or four blocks which won’t make much difference to the atmosphere at the Stone X Stadium.
And Harlequins and Irish side Munster have shown previously that smart fan organisation can have a better impact than club regulated rows of seats dotted around.
The major problem, though, for rugby union is the general lack of travelling fans. While this scheme could encourage new fans to go on their first ever away day knowing they’re with like-minded supporters, the numbers we are talking about here are in the tens or very low hundreds – vastly different to rugby league, football and other sports around the world.
The jury is out on away ends, but we’ll be watching with anticipation.