Newlands is dearest to many including current Stormers Coach John Dobson, the man has spoken about this being the stadiums last season at length but I had to sit down with him and try to understand the essence of the iconic ground.
For me Newlands is a stadium I grew up idolising, as a child I knew of its magnitude but never really considered all the other factors like the emotional and economical aspects until this year in January. The ground holds huge sentimental value to a lot of people and the man in charge of seeing its final season through is no different.
"I first went there (Newlands) in 1979, that is 41 years ago. I literally grew up watching the old club games and the then Western Province were winning and it was awesome. I have seen the development of the various stands, my dad was referring there, he was here last weekend and his first game was in 1949. So its a massive part of my rugby love," said Dobson.
The demolishing of one of the oldest sporting stadiums in South Africa is bit of a hard one to swallow as it means a lot to the locals and people nationwide but more so for those who plight their rugby there and to a certain extent consider it home. Even the people who work at Newlands do feel hard done as the stadium has given them purpose in life.
"We feel sad, I thought I would be the out layer as I'm older than the players but I'm surprised about how it means to them, the Grand Old Lady. Even guys like Jamie Roberts cites it as one of his favourite grounds, I think we all are very sad,
But one also knows that if you walk around those dusty corners its probably had its time. There are issues around safety and how much it will cost to up keep it, people understand the logic but the emotion is tough.
I have got no doubt that the Western Province negotiator will look after the staff, it would not sit comfortably with our values if we were to just let them fall away. All the long serving staffers and the grounds people absolutely live and breathe Newlands,"
In it's long years history Newlands has seen some amazing games including games in the exclusion era, Rugby World Cup games, Tests and Currie cup and Super Rugby games and the former Western Province hooker has seen plenty of them.
"In the 80's where we won those Currie Cups, they were special. In 1980 we got a smack 39-9 smack at Loftus then in 1982 our first, where Miguel and Charl du Plessis played. We went on a winning run winning 83, 84, 85, 86 and 1989, it was a dramatic game where Charl scored a right at the end and Goosen was suppose to convert but he did not he missed and we drew.
Post unity, the Pieter Hendricks try in 1995 against Australia, there was a crazy game where we unfortunately lost in 1996 against the All Blacks in the Tri Nations, it was when Pienaar was taken off , it was a magical All Blacks side, the game was even but they got away. They had just installed lights at Newlands, it was a brilliant game. I also remember the Currie Cup we won in 2002, those are some of the memories," reminiscences Dobson.
The likes of your Nick Mallet, Schalk Burger, Schalk Burger jnr, Breyton Paulse, Brian Habana, Percy Montgomery, Chester Williams, Rob Louw, Gerry Brand are some of the greats to have grace the Grand Old Lady. The list of Newlands greats would have had some more great names of colour had it not been for the exclusion of players during the apartheid regime which did not allow the spectrum to be equal acknowledges Dobson.
There is a sense expectation for the Stormers to bow out with a bang by doing a double of winning the Super Rugby and Currie Cup by doing so giving Newlands a good send off. With their squad consisting with a number of Springboks the Stormers do have the ambition of going all the way and finally lifting that elusive Super Rugby title.
"There are plans for a proper farewell with everything. Newlands has lifted plenty Currie Cups and no Super Rugby, the dreamland would be to win both tournaments but the fitting farewell would be lifting the Super Rugby.
As a coaching group it's not the pressure you want to put on the players but that is the fitting farewell, you do not want Newlands to go out with a whimper," concluded Dobson.
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