For the first time in history, Cape Town will host the HSBC Women’s Sevens Series alongside the Men’s competition at the Cape Town Stadium this weekend. It will be the first time the HSBC women’s tournament is held on the African continent.
Featuring a total of 12 teams, the tournament will kick off this Friday, December 13, 2019 and will run until Sunday when the South African Women’s Sevens team, called Imbokodo, hopes to be among the top contenders for the winner’s cup.
“The addition of the Women’s Series means more entertainment for the fans in the stands and more value for their money as they will watch more games than in previous years. We believe this will enhance the reputation and the spectator experience for an already popular event. As the City of Cape Town, we are thrilled to be hosting the Women’s Series in the Mother City, a move we believe will help to elevate the women’s game locally,” said Mayco Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith.
Last year, more than 95 000 spectators made their way to the Cape Town Stadium for the two-day tournament, and the economic impact from the 2018 event is estimated at R150-million.
The City Council has already approved a new multi-year agreement with the South African Rugby Union, ensuring the tournament will be in Cape Town for the next three years.
“As the City, we understand the tremendous value this event adds to the Cape Town brand as shown by the contribution to the local economy and the agreement illustrates our commitment to partnering with event organisers in playing our role as an enabler. We are proud to be a sponsor and a host city for the Cape Town Sevens,” added Smith.
The City has made available a free MyCiTi shuttle for Cape Town Sevens ticket holders. Buses depart from the Civic Centre and Thibault Square stations to the stadium from noon on Friday. The last bus leaves the stadium at 22.15pm.
The schedule for Saturday and Sunday goes as follows:
| Saturday | First bus leaves Civic Centre for Cape Town Stadium at 7am | Last bus leaves stadium to the Civic Centre at 10.15pm |
| Sunday | First bus leaves Civic Centre for Cape Town Stadium at 9am | Last bus leaves stadium to the Civic Centre at 9.15pm |
Residents and motorists are also alerted to temporary road closures for the event. Details are available here: http://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Centre%20Assets/Rugby%20Sevens%202019%20-%20Road%20Restrictions.pdf
The City advises that Cape Town Stadium will operate normally, even if load shedding continues into the weekend.
Tickets can be purchased here.
Picture: Pixabay