With the Pro14, Top14, Super Rugby and Gallagher Premiership either cancelled or postponed, the crowds seem unlikely to return to stadiums for at least a few months, maybe even next year. Therefore, Robert Rees has worked out the average attendances for all sides involved, domestically and for those in Europe.
All the average Guinness Pro14, Gallagher Premiership and French Top14 attendances from the 2019/20 season are listed here, in alphabetical order. The 2019 Super Rugby season was used for data collection.
*All figures are from regular season fixtures primarily, with European Professional Club Rugby attendances listed separately. In brackets for some clubs, are their above-average fixtures that were played outside of a ‘home’ stadium.
**Some Super Rugby fixtures haven’t listed attendances and as a result, some will either have figures from limited fixtures or no figures at all.
***In brackets are the attendances for 2018/19 seasons. There aren’t figures from this period for Super Rugby teams or those promoted at the start of the season.
Agen
French Top14: 8,245 (18/19:8,454)
Europe: 2,520 (2,432)
Auckland Blues
Super Rugby: 1,037 (only 1 game had available data)
Bath
Gallagher Premiership: 14,249 (18,361, 60k v Bristol, Twickenham)
Europe: 12,349 (13,340)
Bayonne
Top14: 14,421
Europe: 6,689
Benetton
Guinness Pro14: 4,143 (3,380)
Europe: 3,606 (3,326)
Bordeaux Begles
Top14: 24,518 [38,503, vs La Rochelle, Matmat Stadium] (20,547)
Europe: 14,561 (13,872)
Bristol Bears
Prem: 17,916 (16,347)
Europe: 10,325 (8,474)
Brive
Top14: 10,811
Europe: 3,111
Brumbies
Super Rugby: 8,797
Bulls
No figures available
Cardiff Blues
Pro14: 7,700 (8,414 – without Judgement Day)
Europe: 5,870 (9,267)
Castres
Top14: 10,919 (10,845)
Europe: 8,169 (9,464)
Cheetahs
Pro14: 5,439 (4,343)
Chiefs
Super Rugby: 10,157
Clermont Auvergne
Top14: 15,837 (17,850)
Europe: 17,679 (16,152)
Connacht
Pro14: 5,950 (6,012)
Europe: 6,415 (5,372)
Crusaders
No figures available.
Dragons
Pro14: 4,025 (5,133 – without Judgement Day)
Europe: 4,029 (4,503)
Edinburgh
Pro14: 8,310 (6,832)
Europe: 5,843 (15,504)
Exeter Chiefs
Prem: 12,412 (11,988)
Europe: 11,131 (12,103)
Glasgow Warriors
Pro14: 6,784 (7,527)
Europe: 7,167 (7,351)
Gloucester
Prem: 13,747 (14,378)
Europe: 11,790 (12,466)
Harlequins
Prem: 22,608 [75,500, Twickenham, vs Leicester] (19,312 – Wasps 82k at Twickenham)
Europe: 13,537 (8,536)
Highlanders
Super Rugby: 14,379
Hurricanes
Super Rugby: 15,405
Jaguares
Super Rugby: 14,266
La Rochelle
Top14: 16,000 (15,998)
Europe: 15,726 (15,200)
Leicester Tigers
Prem: 19,789 (20,805)
Europe: 15,620 (19,629)
Leinster
Pro14: 12,814 (17,084)
Europe: 24,067 [42,041, Aviva Stadium, vs Northampton] (34,285)
Lions
Super Rugby: 4,800 (1 game)
London Irish
Prem: 5,832
Europe: 3,027
Lyon
Top14: 14,577 (13,720)
Europe: 14,570 (12,631)
Melbourne Rebels
Super Rugby: 11,029
Montpellier
Top14: 9,599 (10,338)
Europe: 10,522 (8,724)
Munster
Pro14: 12,411 (13,205)
Europe: 23,508 (23,732)
Northampton Saints
Prem: 13,807 (15,397 – 40k vs Leicester, Twickenham)
Europe: 12,980 (11,362)
Ospreys
Pro14: 4,954 (6,812)
Europe: 6,954 (6,049)
Pau
Top14: 11,094 (13,911)
Europe: 4,705 (6,801)
Queensland Reds
Super Rugby: 11,351
Racing 92
Top14: 15,042 (15,679)
Europe: 16,887 (4,076)
Sale Sharks
Prem: 7,175 (6,585)
Europe: 8,295 (4,076)
Saracens
Prem: 7,083 (12,207 – 42k vs Harlequins, Olympic Stadium)
Europe: 8,177 (11,152)
Scarlets
Pro14: 7,269 (8,443)
Europe: 6,858 (8,891)
Sharks
No figures were available.
Southern Kings
Pro14: 2,841 (2,817)
Stade Francais
Top14: 10,995 (10,300)
Europe: 2,000 (5,980)
Stormers
Super Rugby: 14,852
Sunwolves
Super Rugby: 10,149
Toulon
Top14: 13,563 (16,273 – 43k vs Toulouse, Stade Voledrome)
Europe: 12,858 (12,702)
Toulouse
Top14: 20,927 [32,500 vs Clermont, Stadium Municipal. 33,000 vs Toulon, Stadium Municipal] (18,224)
Europe: 16,713 (17,781)
Ulster
Pro14: 13,817 (13,696)
Europe: 17,023 (14,039)
Waratahs
Super Rugby: 13,144
Wasps
Prem: 13,509 (16,160)
Europe: 6,949 (14,940)
Worcester Warriors
Prem: 8,636 (8,287)
Europe: 6,708 (6,730)
Zebre
Pro14: 2,683 (3,040)
Europe: 2,033 (2,033)
These numbers may be representative of the facilities, regional and traditional support bases. Crowds can often surge for competitive local derby games, whilst other games see fewer rugby attendances.
What is critical, is that the sport of rugby union has a wide reach, and is still seen as one of the primary ‘codes’ for sports fans to support and cheer for.
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