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Away ends could become a fixture in Premiership if trial proves successful

By PA
SALFORD, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 11: A Sale Sharks fan holds a flag prior to the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Sale Sharks and Newcastle Falcons at Salford Community Stadium on October 11, 2024 in Salford, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images for Sale Sharks)

Away ends could become a fixture in the Gallagher Premiership if two trials being held next month prove successful.

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The round 14 match between Saracens and Gloucester at Stone X Stadium on April 19 and Leicester’s showdown with Harlequins at Mattioli Woods Welford Road a week later will see a designated section of the grounds set aside for away fans to group together, the PA news agency understands.

Given the working title of ‘Away Days’, it is hoped that allowing supporters from visiting clubs to gather in a single stand will improve atmospheres and drive up attendances.

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Saracens and Leicester offered to be involved in the trials and the hope is that if they are successful, more teams will adopt the initiative next season.

“Away fans can and will sit amongst the main crowd, this is just giving people a choice,” said a source.

“This is not meant to be adversarial. It’ll be done in the right spirit and it will be enough fans to make a noise.

“Players playing away say they can feed off it and it gets more out of the home fans because it creates that back and forth.”

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Viewing figures for the Premiership are up eight per cent and stadium occupancy for the current season has risen seven per cent since 2023 to 81 per cent, just one percent below the league’s target.

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Comments

2 Comments
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David 37 days ago

Wrong, wrong, wrong. Segregation is the opposite of what rugby is about. ? ‘drive up attendances and improve atmosphere’…really? It will make negligible difference, if any, to attendances and as for atmosphere, if that needs improving it’s because the game isn’t exciting enough…….another discussion altogether!

L
LE 36 days ago

Agreed, splitting the fans up is the start of a slippery slope. A terrible idea with zero benefits and only downsides

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SK 30 minutes ago
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SK 58 minutes ago
South African rugby's top heavy house of cards

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