Pete Samu hopes the ACT Brumbies can spark a groundswell of support across the territory as they set their sights on a championship like no other.
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The Super Rugby AU title favourites are poised to double their crowd figures as the ACT government slightly eases restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic.
A push to lift Canberra Stadium's capacity has paid off with the ACT chief health officer lifting the attendance figure from 1500 to 3000 for this weekend.
It means the Brumbies' home crowd could double when they meet the Western Force in search of a home final berth at Canberra Stadium on Friday night.
The Canberra Raiders are also set to reap the benefits of the move for their NRL match against the lowly Canterbury Bulldogs on Sunday evening.
MORE BRUMBIES NEWS
Brumbies No. 8 Samu says the prospect of having more fans in the stands will be a huge boost for Australia's most successful franchise as they look to secure a home ground advantage for the final on September 19, putting them in the box seat for the national championship.
"It would be massive, especially for this new comp and being back here at home. It would be a big lift for the boys, not only for this team but for the territory as well," Samu said.
The Brumbies launched a members pre-sale for tickets to the Force clash on Monday morning, with any remaining seats going on sale to the general public at 10am on Thursday.
Officials were relishing the prospect of welcoming more fans to games at what has come to be known as a fortress at Canberra Stadium.
The Brumbies have won 14 of their past 15 Super Rugby games on home turf, with their only defeat in the capital this year coming at the hands of Otago in a heartbreaking one-point loss.
They boast an unbeaten record at home in the Australian iteration of Super Rugby, having not lost an Australian derby at home since the opening round of the 2019 season.
Now the Force come to Canberra with a huge mountain to climb in search of a breakthrough triumph, having gone seven years without beating the Brumbies, and nine years without a win in the capital.
They will run into a surging Brumbies outfit buoyed by more fans in the stands - while it's still less than they would like, scrumhalf Nic White says the club must grow used to the new normal.
ACT Health will continue to evaluate future exemption requests for the venue, stopping short of committing to bigger crowds for any potential Super Rugby AU or NRL finals fixtures. A further increase would hinge on any potential coronavirus outbreaks.
"I feel like 1500 made a bloody lot of noise," White said.
"It was pretty noisy, and maybe that's what helped us [in a win against the NSW Waratahs last week]. We certainly felt like we heard them. In terms of coming in, it didn't feel a whole lot different.
"Coming back into the stadium brought back a whole lot of emotions and it felt pretty normal to me. It'll feel even better when we can fill it out, but for now, it's our normal now."
SUPER RUGBY AU ROUND NINE
Friday: ACT Brumbies v Western Force at Canberra Stadium, 7.05pm.
Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports journalist for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports journalist for The Canberra Times.
