{
  "id": 7052559,
  "title": "South Africa and NZ rugby captains see record crowd as a 2031 US World Cup 'appetizer'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/south-africa-and-nz-rugby-captains-see-record-crowd-as-a-2031-us-7052559",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-13T03:26:44.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/south-africa-nz-rugby-captains-032644310.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The captains of South Africa and New Zealand expressed hope that a record-breaking 68,173 fans attending Saturday's Greatest Rivalry rugby match in Baltimore's M&T Stadium would generate interest in the 2031 World Cup, which the United States will host. The crowd was predominantly South African, with a few New Zealand jerseys and a mix of neutral supporters. Rugby has struggled to gain traction in the U.S. market, but Saturday's enthusiastic turnout indicated potential for growth in a region already dominated by sports like baseball, basketball, and football. Both Taylor and Kolisi emphasized the importance of exposing Americans to more rugby to generate excitement for the upcoming World Cup. Taylor noted the American passion for sports and the crowd's enthusiastic support for rugby. Kolisi suggested that NFL teams may eventually adopt rugby as an offseason option, potentially investing in American clubs and allowing American players to participate. He also believed that rugby's physical nature would appeal to American audiences, and that increased exposure through TV broadcasts could further bolster the sport's popularity.",
  "summary": "The captains of South Africa and New Zealand hoped Saturday’s final Greatest Rivalry rugby test, before almost 70,000 fans at Baltimore’s M&T Stadium, would whet American appetites for the 2031 World Cup, which the United States will host. Saturday's crowd of 68,173 was the largest ever for a rugby international in the U.S. From the colors speckled among the crowd, most were in the green of South…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 8,
    "also_reported_by": [
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        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/ottneil-baartman-injury-concern-for-south-africa",
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      },
      {
        "outlet": "BBC Sport",
        "title": "South Africa cap series victory over New Zealand with win in Baltimore",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/south-africa-cap-series-victory-over-new-zealand-with-win-in-baltimore",
        "published": "2026-09-12T23:29:11.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "South Africa wins the Greatest Rivaly series 3-1 win, beating New Zealand 43-28 in the final test",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/south-africa-wins-the-greatest-rivaly-series-3-1-win-beating-new",
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        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/indonesia-plans-sheikh-yusuf-museum-in-south-africa-from-2027",
        "published": "2026-09-13T05:36:45.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Citizen",
        "title": "‘We do it for the people,’ says Bok captain Kolisi after winning Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/we-do-it-for-the-people-says-bok-captain-kolisi-after-winning-rugbys",
        "published": "2026-09-13T05:50:41.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}