SUNWOLVES DETERMINED TO SEIZE THEIR FIRST SINGAPORE VICTORY

More photos and videos can be downloaded here: https://bit.ly/2tAljhl Photo Credit: Singapore Sports Hub 

Singapore, 29 June 2018 – Singapore’s adopted home team HITO-Communications SUNWOLVES are set to take on South Africa’s BULLS at the National Stadium tomorrow in the only Super Rugby match to take place in Singapore this year. The last match between the SUNWOLVES and the BULLS in Singapore took place in 2016, where the BULLS won by a small margin, with a score of 27-30. 

The SUNWOLVES arrived in Singapore off the back of the Super Rugby break for the June Tests, to play their third final match and the last home game of the season. The team can look forward to the staunch support of their fans after a season of progress which saw them win two Super Rugby games in a row for the first time. Set to take on the BULLS for the second time at the National Stadium, the SUNWOLVES are determined to seize their first Singapore victory. 

SUNWOLVES Acting Head Coach Tony Brown, who has taken over Jamie Joseph’s coaching duties for the remainder of the Super Rugby 2018 season, shared his thoughts on tomorrow’s match against the BULLS. “What Jamie and the recent coaching team has done with the Sunwolves has made it easy to take over, so it's just business as usual for us. We are getting better every week and we have a pretty competitive side. Tomorrow and the next two games are obviously going to be our goal, and I know we've got the team and got the game to compete at this level.” 

The SUNWOLVES and the BULLS teams had their individual Captains Run’s at the National Stadium pitch earlier today to prepare for the upcoming match, and shared their excitement and determination in their respective pre-match press conferences. 

SUNWOLVES Captain Willem Britz, said, “For us as a team, we’ve been working so hard during the year to create our brand of rugby and the way we play, so we want to continue that and get better every game. We set goals for ourselves for each individual game that we want to achieve, and once we achieve those targets then the wins will come by themselves.” 

Having recently faced a 28-38 defeat against the BRUMBIES on their home turf in South Africa, the BULLS are equally eager to prove their prowess on the pitch once more. 

“We have improved, and of course we would have liked more results, but what the team has demonstrated this season – the fight and the style of playing – we would like to maintain that right through to the end of the season. We obviously can't control the outcome but we certainly would like to get some rewards for our performances,” shared BULLS Head Coach John Mitchell. 

BULLS Captain Handré Pollard added, “To ensure victory we’re just going to focus on our process, and try and execute as best as we can. I think that’s the thing in this weather – the team that executes the best is going to be the team that wins at the end of the day.” 

Families coming for the match this weekend can look forward to kid-friendly activities at the concourse from 5.30pm to 8.30pm. Located along Gate 9, there will be fun rugby challenges, mini rugby games, and a kid’s rugby clinic, where professional rugby coaches will be present to teach kids basic rugby skills. Japanese rugby mascot, Ragamaru-Kun, will also be roving along the concourse to interact with fans. 

Match programme booklets and SUNWOLVES headbands will be sold along Gate 9, at $4 and $2 respectively, and at a discounted price of $5 if both items are purchased together. 

Tickets for the 2018 Super Rugby match are priced from $15 onwards and can be purchased via the Sports Hub Tix website www.sportshubtix.sg, hotline +65 3158 7888, Sports Hub Tix Box Office at Singapore Indoor Stadium, The Star Performing Arts Centre Box Office, Scotts Square Concierge Desk, and all SingPost outlets. 

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PHOTOS & VIDEOS 

• Pre-Match Conference & Captain’s Run Download link: 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wkg9cm1ykxv8xm9/AABgkpebqjBxQBsW2jbJmqNMa?dl=0 

• Bulls’ Arrival: 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/x65eni3fbfukvha/Arrival%20of%20Bulls%20V5%20Hi%20res 

.mp4?dl=0 

• Bulls’ Training: https://www.dropbox.com/s/29fpmz4lva1p81r/Bulls%20Training%20w%3A%20Blooper. mp4?dl=0 

• Sunwolves’ Arrival: https://www.dropbox.com/s/4sn68u1t0kwwgq9/Sunwolves%20Arrival%20-%20High%20 res.mp4?dl=0 

Photo & Video Credits: Singapore Sports Hub 

OFFICIAL HASHTAG 

#sgsportshub

#RuckInTheHub 

STARTING LINEUPS 

SUNWOLVES: https://sunwolves.or.jp/en/information/article/6755/ 

BULLS: http://thebulls.co.za/news/pollard-to-lead-vodacom-bulls-against-sunwolves-in- singapore/ 

ABOUT SUPER RUGBY 

Super Rugby is the Southern Hemisphere's pre-eminent rugby tournament, featuring 15 teams from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Japan. 

In 2016, the evolution of Super Rugby continued with three new sides introduced to an expanded four-conference model that boosts the rivalry and passion of previous seasons, driving Super Rugby into an exciting new era. The Kings from South Africa returned to the fray, along with new teams – the Jaguares from Argentina; and the HITO-Communications SUNWOLVES from Japan. 

This 2018 Super Rugby season, the 18-team competition reverts to a 15-team competition, consisting of three geographical conferences – the Australian conference, the New Zealand conference and the South African conference. Gone from the competition were the Force (Australia), Kings and Cheetahs (South Africa). The Jaguares remained in the now one South African Conference while the SUNWOLVES moved from one of the African conferences to the Australian conference, with four other Australian teams. 

• Australian Conference: Brumbies, Rebels, Reds, Waratahs, Sunwolves 

• New Zealand Conference: Blues, Chiefs, Crusaders, Highlanders, Hurricanes 

• South African Conference: Bulls, Lions, Sharks, Stormers, Jaguares 

ABOUT THE HITO-COMMUNICATIONS SUNWOLVES  

The HITO-Communications SUNWOLVES made their debut in the 2016 Super Rugby season and is the first Asian team in Super Rugby. Co-based in both Japan and Singapore, SUNWOLVES will be playing a total of 16 matches – eight home and eight away games – and one of their home matches will be played at the Singapore National Stadium on 30 June 2018, Saturday, against the BULLS. 

ABOUT SINGAPORE SPORTS HUB 

The Singapore Sports Hub is a fully integrated sports, entertainment and lifestyle hub, with programming that ranges from recreational to competitive, from community to international, to serve the children, youth, working adults, seniors, families, and less privileged population segments in Singapore and tourism sectors. 

Consisting of a unique cluster development of world-class sports facilities within the city, it plays a critical role in accelerating the development of Singapore’s sports industry, excellence and participation. Its vision is to be the region’s premier sports, entertainment and lifestyle destination. 

Located on a 35-hectare site in Kallang, the Singapore Sports Hub includes the following facilities: 

• A new 55,000-capacity National Stadium with a retractable roof and movable tiered seating designed to host Football, Rugby, Athletics, Cricket, entertainment events, and many more 

• The 11,000-capacity iconic Singapore Indoor Stadium for sports and entertainment events 

• A 6,000-capacity OCBC Aquatic Centre that can host international events and public swims 

• A 3,000-capacity OCBC Arena with six halls that are scalable and flexible in layout 

• Water Sports Centre featuring kayaking, canoeing, dragon boating, and pedal boating 

• 41,000 sqm Kallang Wave Mall, including indoor climbing wall 

• Splash-N-Surf facility featuring the Kids Water Playground, Stingray and Lazy River 

• 100PLUS Promenade that encircles the National Stadium 

• Singapore Sports Museum and Singapore Youth Olympic Games Museum 

• Shimano Cycling World 

• Sports Hub Library 

• Daily community facilities and activities, including beach volleyball, hard courts (futsal, basketball and netball), lawn bowls, giant chess, skate park and running & cycling paths 

• Large waterfront and precinct spaces (e.g. OCBC Square, Arena Park, Stadium Roar) 

The Singapore Sports Hub, managed by SportsHub Pte Ltd, is one of the largest Public-Private Partnership (PPP) social infrastructure projects in the world. It is also Singapore's largest flagship PPP project of this nature, and has won the Project Finance International (PFI) award in London in 2011, World Architecture Festival Awards for Best Future Project in the leisure-led development category in 2013, and Sports Building of the Year in 2014. 

For more information, please visit the Singapore Sports Hub: 

• Website: www.sportshub.com.sg 

• Facebook: sporesportshub 

• Twitter: @sgsportshub 

• Instagram: sgsportshub