Numbers up for Gold Coast rugby Test

Friday, 14 September 2018:

MICHAEL CHEIKA, Head Coach of Australia looks on during a training session at the Lensbury Hotel in London, England.
MICHAEL CHEIKA, Head Coach of Australia looks on during a training session at the Lensbury Hotel in London, England.


Wallabies coach Michael Cheika hopes both sides' fast, free-flowing rugby will draw numbers to the Test against Argentina on the Gold Coast after their last encounter in the city fell flat.

The Rugby Championship clash on Saturday at Cbus Super Stadium will be the Gold Coast's first since the Wallabies played Argentina in 2014 to a then-record low 14,281 for an Australian match.

That effort was pipped in Melbourne last year when 13,850 turn up to watch a Wallabies-Fiji Test.

The stands were full for the Commonwealth Games' rugby sevens in April this year but selling all 27,500 tickets at the stadium is easier said than done.

Gold Coast's NRL club the Titans only managed to do it for the first time in their 11-year history earlier this month when North Queensland legend Johnathan Thurston played his final game.

Adding to the challenge is the fact Nudgee College will host Gold Coast's TSS in Brisbane for their annual First XV clash earlier in the afternoon, drawing a chunk of rugby fans out of the city for the day.

Promotion of the Test has ramped up in the past fortnight though and the good news for Gold Coast rugby fans - and the future of international fixtures in the city - is that more than 15,000 are expected through the gates on Saturday.

More than 22,000 turned up to watch when they brought a Test to the glitter strip for the first time in 2012 and with Townsville's new stadium set to be ready for hosting duties by 2020 the pressure will be on the Gold Coast to retain its status beyond Saturday.

Australian coach Michael Cheika has all but promised some eye candy to those who make the effort, going out of his way to express his excitement to play on the surface this week.

"Great deck, great stadium, really looking forward to it," he said.

"It's a real opportunity for some good-looking attacking backlines. I'm sure with the platform we'll be able to take advantage of it."

David Pocock will captain the side after the late withdrawal of fellow flanker Michael Hooper, while regular fullback Israel Folau will make his comeback from an ankle injury on the wing.






AAP