Richards Bay’s much anticipated homecoming this weekend has been postponed because of the poor pitch conditions, delaying their return to their home on the north KwaZulu-Natal coast.
Richards Bay have had a nomadic existence through their three seasons in the Betway Premiership after upgrades to the uMhlathuze Sports Complex took more than three years to complete.
But they were due to return there this weekend for their first league game of the season against Marumo Gallants, but Saturday’s game has now been moved to Umlazi.
🚨 𝗠𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗔 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 🚨 pic.twitter.com/UL5FNQbHDG
— Richards Bay FC (@RichardsBayFC_) August 4, 2025
“Richards Bay Football Club is saddened to announce the change for the opening 2025/26 Betway Premiership fixture against Marumo Gallants on Saturday,” said a club statement on Monday.
“Following a tough KZN Premier's Cup games contested over rain sodden days last weekend, uMhlathuze Stadium playing surface faced a significant damage and that has necessitated a change of venue to allow sufficient time for remedial action to be completed.
“City of uMhlathuze and the contractor are working around the clock to ensure that the surface is more than ready for our second home game against Chippa United on 26 August. We apologise to our supporters who have been anticipating with excitement to see their heroes in action at home, but we could not allow further damage to the playing surface,” the statement added.
A return back to Richards Bay after years of playing in Durban has seen coach Ronnie Gabriel predicting it could be worth an added 10 points to them this campaign.
“It'll be a huge plus for us. Remember, we've been commuting for the last three or four seasons. We've been playing away games, week in and week out, and I believe going back to the to our home ground playing in front of our home supporters, it could add at least 10 points come end of the season from what we got last season,” the coach said.
“So we are hopeful that the supporters will play the role like they always do, home ground advantage. We like to make it a slaughterhouse. And we are positive. We are positive that we'll do well in our home ground,” he added.
“But remember, for us, last season, it was our away record that was not the best. This season we want to do better away from home, pick up more points away from home, and that's more an objective. We feel that if we could pick up more points away from home, it'll take us higher up the table,” Gabriel said.