The ACT Brumbies are banking on a season full of Australian derbies which will usher in a new era for the Wallabies to revive interest in the 15-man code.
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Now it's just a matter of when that interest can turn into crowds as the Brumbies prepare for more meetings with the ACT government this week regarding their Super Rugby AU opener.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr is striving to have a small crowd at the Brumbies' opening game against the Melbourne Rebels on July 4.
Submissions must be made to the Chief Health Officer after the stadium was closed as part of the ACT non-essential business shutdown in March and is not scheduled to be reopened until July 7.
Barr opened the door for the revamped Australian competition to be granted an exemption with the Brumbies now awaiting further guidance as round one draws closer.
MORE BRUMBIES
Crowds were welcomed back to games in New Zealand, which hasn't recorded any new cases of coronavirus in three weeks, when the Super Rugby Aotearoa competition kicked off last weekend.
Tickets to games in Australia will be scarce for some time with the government to steer clear of packed stadiums.
But give ACT coach Dan McKellar and his side the option of playing in front of a small crowd and they will take it in a bid to get supporters behind the Brumbies again.
"Local derbies, Wallabies jerseys up for grabs, we're back out there playing rugby and creating positive stories," McKellar said.
"Hopefully we can create some momentum leading into the international series with a new Wallaby coaching group and a new Wallaby team.
"Ideally that starts in a positive manner under Dave [Rennie]. Ideally the game gets a whole lot of positivity about it moving forward.
"It'd be nice [to have crowds]. If you're playing in front of 5000-6000 fans, that's better than playing in front of no one. It would be good for our fans, supporters, sponsors and families to be at the game and experience the Brumbies again."
Brumbies chief executive Phil Thomson is hopeful of welcoming crowds back to games in the club's new season opener.
The club played in front of 8167 at their final home game against the NSW Waratahs before the Super Rugby season was thrown into disarray by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We envisage more meetings with the government during this week," Thomson said.
"We're very hopeful, we've just got work through it with the government on what it actually means. We spoke with them on Friday and we will catch up again early this week.
"We want to get crowds back. It's important we get some clarity for the people for what that looks like."
SUPER RUGBY AU DRAW
July 4: ACT Brumbies v Melbourne Rebels, 7.15pm
July 18: NSW Waratahs v ACT Brumbies at Sydney, 7.15pm
July 25: Western Force v ACT Brumbies at TBC
August 1: ACT Brumbies v Queensland Reds at Canberra Stadium, 7.15pm
August 7: Melbourne Rebels v ACT Brumbies at Melbourne, 7.05pm
August 22: ACT Brumbies v NSW Waratahs at Canberra Stadium, 7.05pm
August 28: ACT Brumbies v Western Force at Canberra Stadium, 7.05pm
September 5: Queensland Reds v ACT Brumbies at Brisbane, 7.15pm
September 12: Qualifying final 2 v 3
September 19: Final 1 v winner of 2 v 3
Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
