Rugby: 'Huge interest' as Wales test tickets snapped up

The All Blacks v Wales test takes place on June 26.
The All Blacks v Wales test takes place on June 26.
There has been unprecedented demand for tickets to the test to be played at Forsyth Barr Stadium in June.

The All Blacks are set to take on Wales under the roof on June 26 and tickets are going like hot cakes.

Otago Rugby Football Union general manager Richard Kinley said sales were going great guns.

‘‘We have had huge interest in the tickets. It looks like all windows where we sell tickets will be over-subscribed,'' he said.

The tickets had already gone on sale to DVML, Highlanders and Otago season ticket-holders, and Team All Black members.

An Otago Daily Times subscriber exclusive offer is open for two days from tomorrow, and there are other ticket-selling windows for provincial unions.

The tickets will go on public sale on April 11.

Kinley said demand for tickets had been the highest since tests were moved to the stadium.

Many Dunedin hotels are booked solid for both the test match and Black Sabbath concert next month and fans without a reservation must act soon or they could be sleeping outside the city.

Dunedin i-Site manager Louise van de Vlierd said demand for accommodation in Dunedin for the match was high but beds were still available.

People without accommodation should call the i-Site for a more complete picture on availability. The first All Black test was played in the stadium in 2012, against the Springboks.

Kinley said there were various factors in why he thought interest had been so high in the test.

‘‘We did not have a test last year and people are pretty interested in seeing Wales play down here,'' he said.

It will also be the first time the All Blacks will play in the South Island since they successfully defended the World Cup last year.

The match on June 26 will be the third test of a three-match series but Kinley said no-one had mentioned to him the fact the game could be a dead rubber.

Wales has not beaten the All Blacks since 1953.

‘‘I would be very surprised if it was not a sellout. There has been a lot of interest and it has been a bit of a surprise that the platinum tickets have been the fastest sellers.'

'These tickets were situated in the two largest stands on and around the halfway line and were being sold for $153.50 each.

Gold seats, which were at the far ends of the two main stands, were priced at $123.50.

Seats at either end of the stadium in the Otago Daily Times and Mitre 10 stands were selling for $93.50.

The capacity was about 28,000 but more seats could be put in should the event be sold out.

He said the union was looking at entertainment in and around the test match but did not want it to get too busy with too many events on one day.

Wales last played in Dunedin in 2010, when the All Blacks won 42-9. It was the second-last test to be played at Carisbrook.

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