Gavin Hunt laments venue chaos as Stellenbosch FC hit by early-season ‘home’ exile

Gavin Hunt says Stellenbosch FC are facing an unwanted spell on the road at the start of the new Betway Premiership campaign after a shortage of available stadiums forced their opening home match to be switched to Durban.

Stellenbosch were due to host AmaZulu in the first fixture of the 2026-27 season, but the game has been moved to KwaZulu-Natal because no suitable venue is available in the Western Cape.

Danie Craven Stadium, the club’s traditional home, has been booked out for an international rugby tournament. Athlone Stadium is also off the table, with New Zealand’s All Blacks based there as they prepare for their Test against South Africa.

DHL Stadium, another potential option in Cape Town, has likewise been ruled out as it will stage a Currie Cup meeting between the DHL Stormers and Sharks.

Hunt: ‘It makes everything very difficult’

The knock-on effect is that Stellenbosch will start the league season without a home base, and Hunt expects the disruption to drag on.

Speaking at the Betway Premiership launch in Johannesburg on Wednesday, the former title-winning coach said the situation is placing considerable strain on his squad.

“The frustrating part is the stadiums, not having a stadium to play in so it puts pressure on the team having to play away for probably the next two months and also you get the fixtures so late so it makes everything very difficult,” said Hunt.

The coach indicated that the club could be without a home ground for “probably the next two months”, meaning an extended run of away fixtures at the very point where teams usually seek early-season stability.

Fixture uncertainty has added another layer of complexity to their planning, with Hunt suggesting the late confirmation of venues has hindered logistical and tactical preparation.

Not the first relocation for Stellies

Stellenbosch have already experienced the impact of venue congestion in recent years.

The club were previously forced to move some of their CAF Confederation Cup home ties to Durban because of similar problems securing stadium dates in the Western Cape.

That history offers some precedent for managing the current disruption, but Hunt’s latest challenge comes at a particularly sensitive moment in the club’s development.

First full season at the helm

The 60-year-old is preparing for his first full campaign in charge after arriving midway through last season to rescue a side that had slipped into relegation trouble.

Hunt succeeded in steadying the team and steering them clear of the drop, but he is now tasked with reshaping the squad into one capable of pushing for a top-eight finish.

He believes that, given the volume of transfer activity across the league, no coach can claim complete readiness before the first whistle.

“I always say that if coaches say they’re prepared now after preseason than they’re lying because you can’t be with a lot of player movements happening so it is hard but you try and make it work on the short term,” he said.

Balancing ambition with adversity

Stellenbosch’s rise in recent years has seen them evolve into one of South Africa’s more competitive outfits, often featuring in continental competition despite their relatively recent arrival in the top flight.

Hunt will now have to lean on his extensive experience to guide the club through a demanding start, with extensive travel and the absence of home support threatening to blunt their ambitions.

While the coach can do little to influence the stadium allocations, the speed with which Stellenbosch adjust to their nomadic opening weeks is likely to play a major role in determining whether they can re-establish themselves among the Betway Premiership’s leading contenders.