2,000 pubs and bars to open early across London for England's Rugby World Cup final match against South Africa

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An estimated 2,000 pubs and bars in and around London will throw their doors open early on Saturday morning as rugby fans flock to watch England’s World Cup final against South Africa.

The 9am kick-off means many landlords are looking forward to an all-day takings bonanza, with the showpiece final followed by the lunchtime Premier League clash between Bournemouth and Manchester United.

Dominic Collingwood, co-founder of the Matchpint app, said 366 pubs inside the M25 had indicated they will show the game. With just under a fifth of sports pubs and bars signed up to the app this suggests close to 2,000 will be opening in total, he said.

He added: “On average, we’ve had 25,000 fans search for a pub at the last minute to watch each England game to date. We’d expect this to exceed 50,000 people looking for a pub from Friday afternoon this week.”

In Pictures | England prepare for the 2019 Rugby World Cup Final

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The app’s data also reveals that interest in England’s rugby team is concentrated in London and the South-East, with about 40 per cent of searches from the region, compared with about 20 per cent for an England football match.

Matt Ryan, general manager of the One Tun in Goodge Street has shown every game of the World Cup, including New Zealand v Namibia, which started at 5.45am.

He expects the 120-capacity pub to be full on Saturday morning, and said about half of its customers typically go straight on to beer after breakfast and coffee. Takings are likely to be “at least double” a normal Saturday.

Elton Mouna, managing director of Remarkable Pubs which runs 16 London venues, including The Virgin Queen in Hackney, said: “The Rugby World Cup has given us an early morning reminder of the halcyon FIFA World Cup days. Breakfasts have been flying out of our kitchens faster than England have been clocking up the wins.”

Phil Thomas, chief commercial officer at Greene King, said: “The nation really got behind the team on Saturday [when England defeated New Zealand in the semi-final]… The final will be even bigger. We’ll be opening more than 500 of our pubs early this Saturday.”

Simon Emeny, chief executive at Chiswick-based Fuller’s, said the Cabbage Patch in Twickenham — “surely the world’s most famous rugby pub” — is offering a free coffee or pint of Guinness to fans booking in advance.

Sam Bourke, sales and marketing director at bars operator ETM Group said: “Even during times of economic uncertainty, and despite the early kick off times, there is a strong sense of national pride and people are keen to support their national teams in their hundreds.”

The British Beer and Pub Association today predicted that rugby fans will drink one million extra pints on “Super Saturday” — providing a £3.8 million boost to the sector — if England win.

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