OPINION: Springbok crowd numbers a disappointment for SA Rugby

The South African Rugby Union (Saru) must conduct a thorough self-examination following the Springboks' domestic season, marked by underwhelming attendance at their international fixtures. The only sold-out home game for the Springboks this year appears to have been their Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry (RGR) series encounter against the All Blacks in Cape Town.

The inaugural Test against the All Blacks at Ellis Park also drew a full house, though tickets were available across multiple stadium sections and its uncertain if they'll be sold out before the match on Saturday. Tickets for the third Test at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg remain on sale, which is disheartening given that two of the world's top rugby teams are set to clash in a significant series.

However, much of the fault must be placed at the feet of SA Rugby for setting ticket prices that have made the Boks unaffordable for many supporters, as well as for failing to provide adequate coverage for local franchises in the RGR series. As things stand, none of the matches involving the Boks this season are expected to hit "sold-out" status.

At the start of the season, the Boks faced the Barbarians in Gqeberha, drawing a crowd of 26,398, while the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium has a capacity of 46,000. After tepid ticket sales for the Springboks' opening Test against England at Ellis Park, SA Rugby reduced the prices, leading to a crowd of 52,790, which filled the 62,567-seater venue.

The match against Scotland at Loftus drew 45,053 fans, while the fixture against Wales at Kings Park saw a crowd of 40,299 in a 46,000-seater stadium. Apart from the Stormers' game against the All Blacks, which attracted an impressive 47,130 spectators to the 55,000-capacity Cape Town Stadium, the Sharks' game drew just 14,759 fans, partly due to rain, and the Bulls' game drew 30,930 people.

While the Boks are a highly sought-after team and SA Rugby aims to capitalize on this, it's unfortunate that not more fans can afford tickets in a country where wealth is so unevenly distributed.