SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Australian tented city in Durban for World Cup

Record ID: 345657

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Australian tented city in Durban for World Cup
  • Date: 12th June 2010
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) RYAN EVERETT, ALSO KNOWN AS SPIDER, AUSTRALIAN FAN FROM ADELAIDE SAYING: "I think at this stage, as the word spreads I think that everybody would love to be doing something similar and there is possibly an air of jealousy in terms of the set up we have got, this hasn't really been done before on this level. So unfortunately for them it is Australians only and we will see them at the matches." VARIOUS OF AUSTRALIAN TENT CITY
  • Embargoed: 27th June 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA4OEHB6J3MGZSH4QCPS8R22ZKQ
  • Story Text: Australia may have been humiliated at Kingsmead in 1970, but 40 years on their compatriots are firmly in charge of the Durban cricket ground.
    The clipped turf, where Australia's cricket team were thrashed by South Africa on the way to a 4-0 test series defeat, is currently home to 1,200 Australian soccer fans housed in neat rows of green tents and a vast beer tent ensuring they can do what they like best: drinking and watching sport.
    Australia play their first game in Durban against Germany on June 13 so the fans will be able to stroll from the downtown Kingsmead ground to the nearby Moses Madhiba soccer stadium to watch the game.
    The campers say they have paid anywhere from 4,500 to 6,000 Australian dollars for their South African soccer odyssey.
    The packages include match tickets, transport to games, a bed in three-man tents and full English breakfast.
    "This is our home; we have got some pretty good standard stretcher beds, quite comfortable, found them pretty good for the first two nights," Matt Summers 24-year-old from Adelaide told Reuters in Durban. "Good blankets, so no issue with the cold so far, quite comfortable and feel quite at home."
    Organised by tour and events operator Fanatics HQ, the camp is building on the success of a similar Australian venture at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where the Socceroos surprised many by getting to the second round.
    Fanatics HQ say they are flying in Fatboy Slim and popular Australian bands Powderfinger and Electric Mary to entertain the revellers -- but they are keeping a tight rein on drinking and smoking on the pitch.
    Each tent has a fire extinguisher and a fire bucket just in case, and empty beer tins were nestling in a rubbish bin in one.
    Security is tight. Residents can only get in and out by placing their fingers on biometric scanning machines.
    "Security is obviously a big concern, we have done a biometric scanning system, we have also got security at all points around the ground and also on top of biometrics we have got a wrist band system so if you are not wearing it, basically you are not allowed onto the arena, so we know who is supposed to be here," said Ryan Everett, or Spider, who is one of the organisers.
    Jarrad Haynes, 24, from Adelaide said the organisers have briefed residents on security outside the stadium and are encouraging people to do the "smart thing".
    "They have told us to pack a dummy wallet with a small amount of money in it, in case someone does come up and ask for your wallet, so we can give them something," he said. "I haven't felt threatened being out on the street. I have brought no watch, I did not bring my phone, I have brought very small amounts of cash, I just have an ATM card. They have told us it has been a pretty stern brief, if you see someone, cross the street and all that sought of stuff, but I have not had any problems like that, I have felt very comfortable walking around the streets of Durban."
    The camp offers pies and mash, has pool tables and Internet access and the campers say the beds are comfortable. The main gripe, among the men at least, seems to be a lack of women.
    "The ratio is about 80 percent to 20 percent guys to girls. It's slim pickings but it won't stop the boys from trying anyway to see if they can get their hands on one," said Haynes. "They might have to venture out to see the locals tonight -- to see what we can catch out there."
    Everett added that fans from other countries could be envious of their set-up, but he said that it was going to remain exclusively Australian area.
    "I think at this stage, as the word spreads I think that everybody would love to be doing something similar and there is possibly an air of jealousy in terms of the set up we have got, this hasn't really been done before on this level," he said. "So unfortunately for them it is Australians only and we will see them at the matches."
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