St Helen's will host its first Ospreys match this Saturday night, with the United Rugby Championship clash against the Dragons taking place just months after work began on the venue. The ground, where Swansea RFC once defeated Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, is set to welcome professional rugby once again after a rapid refurbishment.
Work has continued at a remarkable pace, with the venue hosting its first Ospreys game a mere 24 hours after construction activity was still ongoing. During Swansea RFC's first match back at the ground against Ebbw Vale a couple of weeks ago, workers were seen sorting out wiring on the stand while play was in progress.
Rapid progress at the iconic venue
Former Wales back-row Colin Charvis, now Swansea RFC's vice-chair, joked that the building site nature of the ground made it feel like arriving on a "Jet2 holiday" in Benidorm, with the place still being constructed around visitors. However, progress has been rapid, with the ground looking remarkably different this Friday compared to the first event 13 days ago.
Ospreys managing director Richard Lancaster admitted the challenge of the past few months. "It's been a few months, I think that's been the challenge," he said. "By the time we actually started the work, it was well into June. To be fair to everyone who was involved - and there's been a heck of a lot of people involved - they've all pulled out the stops to make sure we've hit each milestone."
Capacity and future plans
Saturday's match will be at capacity for what the Ospreys are able to sell, with hopes to grow that capacity further as more barriers go into the terrace and work continues through November. Building control signed off safety certificates for all areas of the ground, with the terrace set to be sheltered over the next year or two.
Permanent facilities are planned next, and the Ospreys could potentially make St Helen's a training base in the future. For now, the team will use a temporary changing room. A giant screen could be up for the match, depending on wind speed.
A new chapter for the Ospreys
The Ospreys' head of rugby, Dan Griffiths, described the move as the start of a "new chapter" for the club. "You can't hide away from the stuff that's gone on in the background and how it affects individuals," he said. "We've spoken about the effect it has on not just the players, but families, the staff, the people involved."
Griffiths praised the squad's focus despite a tough start to the season with four games away from home, including travel to South Africa and Georgia. "The players have done a fantastic job, and I don't think I've heard anyone moan about anything," he added.
A community hub
St Helen's will also be home to Swansea RFC, Swansea University and Gower College, with 450-odd kids expected over the next fortnight and a walking rugby festival welcoming 200 adults. Tom Sloane, the Ospreys' Community Foundation director, said the stadium is "essentially a community stadium" that provides inspiration for the next generation.
Ross Moriarty was attracted to the Ospreys partly by the chance to follow in the footsteps of his father Paul and uncle Richard at the famous venue. Richard, a Swansea RFC icon who played 472 times for the Whites, handed out jerseys to the squad on Friday.
Modernising history
The ground, which hosted Wales' first home international 144 years ago, has presented challenges during modernisation, including Victorian drains along the front of the terrace. Lancaster said the terrace can be a special place, with the pitch adjusted to sit right next to it, creating a "modern feel whilst retaining its charm and soul".
Lancaster described the move as transformative for the club's finances. "It transforms our balance sheet," he said. "We're not just reliant on ticket sales and on sponsorship; we've got food and beverage, we've got hospitality, we've got non-matchday, we've got the revenue generated from pitch hire, from conferencing and event hire. So rather than being reliant on 11 matchdays to generate revenue, we've got 365."
The family firm behind Verdi's has taken over food and drink at the ground, including a new hospitality marquee called The Aviary, with plans to create "Swansea's biggest party and events space to date". Griffiths said the project shows what can be achieved when people have something to support. "If nothing else, I think this is a good model for Welsh rugby to follow because it's simple: connecting to your local clubs, connecting to the stakeholders," he said. "Making the rugby club the heart of the community again."
