Without fans, there’s no atmosphere, emotion, employment…and cheerleaders.

The date was February 15 2020, I was at Emirates Airline Park, on that particular day there was a game between the home side the Emirates Lions and the visitors who were the DHL Stormers, who ended up edging the hosts 30-33.

It was arguably the best live sporting event I had been to in my young sports journalist career. The weather was perfect, the crowd packed to capacity provided the atmosphere and the action on the field kept me on the edge of my side, had me rewriting the conclusion to my match report.

This past Saturday, 05 December 2020, I returned to the stadium, to cover the Currie Cup encounter between the Xerox Lions and DHL Western Province. It was the first time I attended a live game since lockdown was imposed by President Cyril Ramaphosa. The Lions picked up a 22-19 win, one that was met with much joy.

Now, let me try to breakdown the experience of going to work in the most difficult circumstance, and having the privilege of attending a live game, while many of my colleagues would have wished to be present but circumstance is not allowing.

When I arrived at the stadium, two hours before kick-off, the reality of fans not being able to go to the stadium kicked in. The atmosphere of an event that is usually around the stadium on a matchday, was not there. The atmosphere was just pragmatic, the element of fun was knocked out of the park, all who were in attendance went there for work.

At the gate, I had my screening done and then proceeded to enter the stadium. I found myself dumbfounded as I remembered that the entrance to the press box had changed. I had to round the stadium and then enter at gate 6/7. I was exhausted by the thought of that task, but I soldiered on. On my way there, I bumped into one of the stadium staff who had means of transportation. He asked me where I was going, I told him I’m going to the press box via gate 6/7. He then gave me a lift, and I counted my blessing because had I walked that journey, I would have been tired by the time I got to my seat.

We arrived at the gate, pleaded my gratitude to the man. I then went through the stands until I reached my seat at the press box. The smell and feel of the pitch were so refreshing, I swear that pitch at that moment was one of the seven wonders of the world. From a distance, I waved to the Lions media officer Annemie Bester, it was another reality check of how Covid-19 had sort of affected relations.

What was interesting, the SuperSport commentators were seated in an area that seemed congested and compromised social distancing. I reckoned that they were probably safer in the commentator box.  But they seemed comfortable, besides I was looking at them from a distance.

Time went on, and the DJ had to entertain us, wasn’t a fan of the music they were playing; I can’t judge them because I played Alessia Carra for my friends when they gave me the aux, they took it back and had an intervention for me. The music though, was just loud, because the stadium is empty. Another reality check of the fans missing from the stadium.

Time for the warm-ups arrived, and it was Western Province who went on to the field first and there was an expected silence, then the home side ran onto the field, more silence. Now, when the home side went for their warm up’s a part of me expected a cheer from the crowd, but they left me hanging…they just went there, another reality check.

When the game started, I noticed that the players were quite slow to get into their mojo. This I suspect was because of the absence of the crowd. The game atmosphere was just non-existent, it took long for the players to change gears. The emotions to the game that are normally provided by supporters were not there, and that is a big miss. The emotion is something you never pick up when watching on tv. When fans return to the stadium it’s going to be emotional, for them and the players.

Without the fans providing the noise, you could hear the players tackle the hell out of each other. Every contact between the players sounded like two cars colliding head-on. You could hear them call each other out, and listen to the language that is always made up during lineouts.

From the moment I settled in my seat, during the warm-ups and the game, I found myself missing the cheerleaders. To be honest they are the lifeblood of rugby game. I’m EXCITED ABOUT THEM RETURNING, THEY ENTERTAIN AND KEEP THE PEOPLE GOING.

Something that was also alarming, was the absence of the matchday general staff and security. The Covid-19 sports restrictions have probably affected them the most. Many are dependent on the wage they make on the weekend, and with fans not at the stadiums, there’s no work for them.

When speaking to Afrikaans newspaper, Rapport; SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux hinted that they are working a plan to get fans back in the Stadium, and they hope to have fans for the Currie Cup final which is scheduled for 23 January 2021. Roux further went on to say that if fans are still not allowed back at the stadium at the start of the British and Lions tour, it may be called off.