The Ranfurly Shield match between Otago and Southland is, contrary to rumour, not yet a sell-out.
Just under 12,000 tickets had been sold for the match to be played in Invercargill on Saturday and only terrace tickets remained.
Southland Rugby commercial and marketing manager Caroline Wethey said ticket sales had picked up in recent days and the union still hoped for a 18,000 sell out.
Both the main stand and a temporary stand, which is situated to the north of the main stand, were sold out.
Talk around Invercargill that the game was sold out was not true, she said.
Tickets could be brought in Dunedin and throughout the province through Ticketdirect.
The weather forecast for Invercargill on Saturday is for sleety showers.
The gates would open at 3.30pm for the 4.35pm kick-off.
People driving to the game are advised to get there early as roads around the ground will be closed.
Otago Rugby Football Union commercial manager Mike Kerr said though it was hard to gauge how many people from Otago are venturing south it could be upwards of 1000.
A train carrying more than 300 people will leave Dunedin Railway station at noon on Saturday and buses are also heading south.
