Rugby World Cup organisers have apologised for the chaotic scenes that marred England’s victory over Argentina on Saturday night, with hundreds of supporters forced to miss the start of the match amid lengthy queues and crushes outside the Stade Velodrome.
Half an hour before the start of the match, a large crowd could be seen bunched behind one of the two main gates, with many people subsequently delayed in taking their seats due to the limited number of entry points at the venue. The sheer weight of numbers led to reports of crushes outside the ground, and while France 2023 have announced there were no incidents, and all 63,118 seats were eventually taken, some supporters were concerned for their safety.
World Rugby, the global governing body, and France 2023 issued a joint statement on Saturday saying they would be investigating the chaotic scenes and it is understood that part of the problem is considered to be that too many supporters chose the same entry gate.
One supporter described the chaos as a “dangerous crush” while another said it was “scary” with the entrance gate situated at the top of a stone staircase, raising concerns over supporters falling back into the crowd. Another supporter told of having their tickets checked twice and bemoaned an absence of policing and assistance from stewards, with some forced to queue for more than an hour before they could take their seats.
Organisers have been determined to avoid scenes similar to those at last year’s Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid in Paris and have moved to swiftly apologise to those supporters affected in Marseille. “Fans are the heartbeat of the tournament and we would like to apologise to fans impacted by yesterday’s access challenges,” read a statement from World Rugby and France 2023 on Sunday. “We are working hard to enhance the experience for all visiting Marseille for Rugby World Cup 2023.”
Organisers have also stated that changes will be made to their matchday protocols in Marseille, with more service volunteers stationed to assist with entry as well as more announcements to supporters on public transport. The stadium plaza will also be opened three hours before kick-off with supporters encouraged to enter in good time.
