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The Boet | |
 | |
| Full name | Eastern Province Rugby Union Stadium |
|---|---|
| Former names | Boet Erasmus Stadium |
| Location | La Roche Drive Summerstrand Port Elizabeth South Africa |
| Coordinates | 33°58′55″S25°38′22″E / 33.98194°S 25.63944°E /-33.98194; 25.63944 |
| Owner | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality |
| Operator | Eastern Province Rugby Union |
| Capacity | 33,852 |
| Field size | 100m X 70m |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1958–1960 |
| Opened | 1960 |
| Closed | 2010 |
| Demolished | 2019 |
| Tenants | |
| Mighty Elephants (Currie Cup) (1959 - 2010) Bay United (PSL/NFD) (2008 - 2010) | |
EPRU Stadium, also known by its original name ofBoet Erasmus Stadium, was astadium inPort Elizabeth,South Africa. The letters "EPRU" in the name represent the Eastern Province Rugby Union, the stadium's historic primary tenants, whose team is now known as theMighty Elephants. The original nameBoet Erasmus Stadium was named after Boet Erasmus, a former mayor ofPort Elizabeth.[1] It had a capacity of 33,852 people and served primarily as a venue forrugby union matches but also hosted a number ofassociation football (soccer) fixtures.
The stadium closed in 2010 and was demolished in 2019.
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Boet Erasmus stadium was primarily used as the home of rugby in the Eastern Cape. Situated in the affluent suburb ofSummerstrand, it hosted matches at Test,Super Rugby,Currie Cup,Vodacom Cup and club level.[2] It was regularly used by theEastern Province Elephants under their previous names, the Mighty Elephants and the Eastern Province Kings and hosted their two home matches during the 1994Super 10 season. The stadium was also the intended home of theSouthern Spears, a team that was scheduled to play in the2006 Currie Cup in preparation for its admission to theSuper Rugby starting in 2007. However, the Spears were later denied entry into both competitions.
The stadium is credited for being the first stomping ground of a number ofSpringbok legends, included in which areDanie Gerber, Garth Wright, Frans Erasmus and Hannes Marias.[2]
In 1974, during the1974 British Lions tour to South Africa, one of the most violent matches in rugby history[3][4] was dubbed the "Battle of Boet Erasmus Stadium".[5] After a99 call by Lions, there is famous video footage ofJ.P.R. Williams running over half of the pitch and launching himself atMoaner van Heerden,[6] something that Williams says he is not proud of.[7]Gordon Brown hit his opposite number,Johan de Bruyn, so hard that the Orange Free State man's glass eye flew out and landed in the mud.[8]
At the1995 Rugby World Cup on 3 June 1995,South Africa took onCanada in a clash that has also sometimes been dubbed the Battle of Boet Erasmus. The match, which South Africa ultimately won 20–0, was marred by an on-field scuffle with four players involved in a brawl. South Africa hookerJames Dalton, who had come to the aid of a teammate who had been struck on the back of the head, and wingerPieter Hendriks were suspended for the remainder of the tournament for their roles in the incident and could only watch from the sidelines as the nation went on to claim its first Rugby World Cup title.[9][10]
The stadium was used as the home ground for Port Elizabeth's,Bay United F.C. who moved to the stadium for their2008/2009 season in thePremier Soccer League. The club used the stadium again at times during their2009/2010 campaign in theNational First Division. This was due to availability problems with their preferred home ground, the Westbourne Oval.
The stadium was officially closed in July 2010. The Eastern Province Rugby Union has moved all games to the new world classNelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth. The last match to be played at the stadium was a friendly against theBlue Bulls on 3 July 2010.[1]The Boet hosted age-group, amateur and club rugby matches after being officially closed but has since been abandoned, with vagrants and thieves having slowly dismantled the stadium to such an extent that all that remains are the concrete structures.[1] The local municipality, who own the property, has asked for proposals from the private sector for the redevelopment of the land.[2]
The stadium was demolished in 2019.
The stadium was one of 9 venues throughout South Africa used for the Rugby World Cup. The stadium was used for group games in Group A. It hosted 3 games, including the match between South Africa and Canada:
| Date | Team #1 | Res. | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 May 1995 |  Canada | 34-3 |  Romania | Group A | 18,000 |
| 31 May 1995 |  Australia | 27-11 | Canada | Group A | 15,000 |
| 3 June 1995 |  South Africa | 20-0 | Canada | Group A | 31,000 |
When the tournament was moved to South Africa, the EPRU Stadium was chosen as one of 4 host stadiums. A total of 6 pool games were played at the stadium, as well as a quarter-final:
| Date | Team #1 | Res. | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 January 1996 |  Ghana | 2–0 |  Ivory Coast | Group D | 8,000 |
| 16 January 1996 |  Tunisia | 1–1 |  Mozambique | Group D | 1,000 |
| 19 January 1996 | Ghana | 2–1 | Tunisia | Group D | 1,000 |
| 21 January 1996 | Ivory Coast | 1–0 | Mozambique | Group D | 500 |
| 24 January 1996 |  Algeria | 2–1 |  Burkina Faso | Group B | 180 |
| 25 January 1996 | Tunisia | 3–1 | Ivory Coast | Group D | 1,000 |
| 28 January 1996 | Ghana | 1–0 |  Zaire | Quarterfinals | 8,000 |
During the2010 FIFA World Cup, the stadium was used as a logistics point for Port Elizabeth, a host city.
| Date | Team #1 | Res. | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 July 2000 | South Africa | 0–1 |  Zimbabwe | 2000 COSAFA Cup#Semi-Final | 35,000 |
| 14 June 2003 | South Africa | 2–1 |  Trinidad and Tobago | International Friendly | 28,000 |
| 12 November 2005 | South Africa | 2–3 |  Senegal | Nelson Mandela Challenge | |
| 1 June 2008 | South Africa | 0–1 |  Nigeria | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier | 30,000 |
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