Reds appeal to home fans as Irish invade the Island

Saturday 25 March 2017

St Patrick's Day may have been last weekend, but Jersey is set for an influx of Irish fans today as the Reds go up against the London Irish.

The rugby club is preparing to host what's expected to be the largest-ever contingent of away supporters to visit the Island this weekend.

Unbeaten league leaders London Irish will take on the Reds at St Peter at 15:00.

Almost 900 advance tickets have been sold, and it's believed that the vast majority of these pre-sales have been to visiting supporters, who will be looking to extend the St Patrick's party atmosphere into a second weekend.

Reds Chairman Mark Morgan said: "It's conceivable that we could have up to 1,000 visiting supporters on the Island, which is a fantastic prospect. But we don't want this to feel like a home fixture for London Irish, and we hope the Island will respond by turning out to cheer on the Reds - if you're going to attend one fixture this season, this is it."

The home club have made a number of enhancements to the match-day facilities at St Peter in order to cater for a large crowd. A large marquee will host more than 600 people for pre-match lunch, and after the game will convert to one of the largest bars ever seen on the Island, with multiple Guinness outlets, live music and a Q&A session with players and coaches from both sides.

Mr Morgan added: "We know that Irish have set the mark for biggest crowds of the season at most of their away games this season, and Jersey looks to have been one of the most attractive trips. If they achieve their aim of promotion back to the Premiership, they won't be back next season, so we're seeking to make it a memorable day. We've been planning for this weekend all season, and believe the extra facilities, especially the marquee, will help create a fantastic atmosphere."