This Saturday will see Richmond Rugby welcoming back fans to the Athletic Ground for the first time in over a year, as they take on Coventry in the Greene King IPA Championship at 2pm in the final game of the season.
It is 455 days since Richmond last had supporters in their stadium, with their last live event a 27-10 win over Canterbury on Saturday 29th February 2020.
The club said they have completed a vigorous health and safety review and implemented a wide range of COVID-19 protocols to ensure the fixture can go ahead with a reduced and socially distanced crowd.
Richmond director of rugby Steve Hill said: “We are delighted to be welcoming our supporters back to the Athletic Ground this Saturday.
“It’s going to be a hugely entertaining clash, against quality opposition, and the weather is looking spectacular too. We can’t wait to see the Richmond faithful and our local community back at the club cheering us on.”
Although there will be no tickets on the gate, the club is hoping that the good weather and sense of atmosphere will mean that they sell out beforehand, with tickets still available.
It’s been a difficult Championship season for Richmond, as they sit bottom of the reduced team division, with just one win from their nine games.
Nevertheless, the club is hoping that having fans in the ground will lift them in the final match of their campaign.
The season was previously suspended but restarted in a truncated format in March, with teams playing each other just once ahead of the playoffs, and no relegation.
London Scottish, who have been sharing the Athletic Ground with Richmond, dropped out of this season’s competition for financial reasons.
Tickets for Saturday’s match are now on sale for £10 and can be purchased here.
