Stormers make history as they reveal venue for Champs Cup opener

NEWS: Stormers will take on French side RC Toulon in Round One of the Champions Cup at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha.

History will be made on December 7 when Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium hosts the first-ever Champions Cup match in the South African rugby heartland of the Eastern Cape.

Tickets for this match will go on sale in October, with 2024/25 season ticket holders able to buy at a 50 percent discount.

Due to a clash with the HSBC Cape Town Sevens, which will take place at Cae Town Stadium on the same weekend, the Stormers will kick off their Champions Cup campaign in Gqeberha.

This will be the second Stormers home match at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, which was also the venue for a URC clash with Dragons in late 2022.

Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson said that the squad is looking forward to taking the Champions Cup to a new frontier.

"Our match against the Dragons two years ago was a fantastic experience and we are looking forward to what should be another special occasion at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

"We are expecting a vibrant atmosphere in a world-class stadium, with the added excitement of bringing the Champions Cup to the people of Gqeberha," he said.

Stormers Rugby CEO Johan le Roux said that this will be a good opportunity to connect with supporters in Gqeberha.

"Our team is well-supported wherever they go and we know the people of the Eastern Cape will turn out in their numbers to experience a Champions Cup match against a renowned RC Toulon side," he said.

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium Executive Manager Raaziq Poole said that there is real excitement in Gqeberha around hosting another Stormers match.

"The Stormers are adored by the citizens of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro and we are thrilled to have them back after the URC match two years ago which was such a success.

"This time we experience a new tournament in the Champions Cup and we are ready for some elite rugby between two top sides," he said