30 Mar 2010

Ticket sales for Rugby World Cup announced

6:44 pm on 30 March 2010

Tickets for next year's rugby World Cup in New Zealand will go on sale late next month.

The 1.65 million tickets available will be sold in three separate phases, with the first batch of 750,000 tickets being sold for individual teams or venues on April 27th.

One third of those tickets will be available only to rugby players, supporters, volunteers and officials in New Zealand.

The most expensive ticket package in the first phase will cost $1,720 for the opening ceremony and five matches at Auckland's Eden Park.

New Zealand play Tonga in the opening match at Eden Park on September 9th, next year.

The All Blacks, who have not won the World Cup since the inaugural tournament in 1987, have the most expensive team pack, costing $1400 for their four matches.

Two of their pool matches will be held at Eden Park with other matches in Hamilton and Wellington.

Fans who buy venue or team packs also have the option of purchasing quarter-final tickets and a ticket to the third and fourth playoff matches.

The second phase, when individual match tickets will be released, will begin in either August or September this year.

A third phase for tickets to the semi-finals and the final, all of which will be held at Eden Park, is expected to begin in November.

Organisers said last year the most expensive ticket for the final would be about $1,250.