The poorest roll-up for a Wallabies Test in 16 years means that "the Gold Coast and its apathetic footy fans will be dropped by big-time rugby for four years," according to Jim Tucker of the COURIER MAIL. The sharp rejection, "Bye bye Gold Coast," is what "dedicated followers will have to cop because so few marginal fans bothered to pump up the crowd beyond 14,281 at Cbus Super Stadium." The rows of empty seats at last Saturday night’s Wallabies-Argentina Test confirmed that "fickle Gold Coasters are only attracted to shiny new sporting toys" (
COURIER MAIL, 9/14). The AAP reported the Wallabies "vowed to win back the fans after drawing their lowest home Test crowd this century." The code "is paying the price for a lack of Test success, and some dour play, in the past decade." Australia
coach Ewen McKenzie said, "There's lots of factors going on there but in the end we want to be
playing in front of the biggest crowds we can find." Crowds in all rugby venues "have dropped markedly over the past three
years, with numbers only spiking for last year's British and Irish Lions
series" (
AAP, 9/14).
