The Welsh Rugby Union went live with ticket sales to the general public this afternoon (Friday) at 12 noon and were forced to post up the ‘sold-out’ signs hours later with over 20,000 tickets for the series – which also includes clashes with Australia and Canada at the Millennium Stadium -being sold online, via phone lines and at the Ticketline offices in Cardiff in the space of a 60 minute selling frenzy.
The clash with South Africa has also broken the 70,000 mark in the same time span as WRU outlets have been swamped with orders to watch Warren Gatland’s Wales in a four match campaign on home soil.
“We expected demand to be high for the All Blacks game, but to sell-out in the space of an hour is impressive and fans should now act quickly if they want to watch Warren’s side face the World Champions, Australia and Canada, because there has been no let-up in ticket enquiries,” said WRU Group Chief Executive Roger Lewis.
“The feel-good factor in Welsh rugby after the Grand Slam shows no sign of dying down and Wales’s impressive showing against the Springboks in the second Test on tour this summer has obviously whetted many an appetite.
“For us to take our tickets out to the market place this early in a season, over three months before our Autumn fixtures take place, is a first for the WRU.
“We have given ourselves the best chance of bumper crowds by our proactive approach to ticketing these matches. With each of the top Southern Hemisphere teams, the top three teams in World rugby at the moment, coming to town and a Friday night fixture against Canada specifically priced for a family audience, the signs are that the Millennium Stadium will be the place to be for rugby fans this November.”
Tickets to watch Wales take on the Springboks, Wallabies and Canada can still be purchased via the WRU ticket hotline 08705 582 582, online at www.wru.co.uk/tickets from the Ticketline number 02920 230 130 and to personal callers at the Ticketline shop on Westgate Street, Cardiff from 12 noon on Friday, with fans encouraged to act now to avoid disappointment.
Price categories include £40, £50, £55 and £60 for the visits of Australia and South Africa. Canada’s Friday night visit to the Millennium Stadium has been specifically designed to appeal to the family market – a family of four is able to attend for as little as £50, with prices ranging from £25, £15 and £10 concession for that game.
INVESCO PERPETUAL SERIES FACTS:
We have only beaten South Africa once before in 24 meetings – on the Millennium Stadium’s opening day 26th June 1999 when Graham Henry was coach.
Craig White said this week, if we had played a third Test on tour against the World Champions he thinks we could have won it – the Springboks are first up in the series so he doesn’t have to wait long to see if his prophecy can be fulfilled.
After our last Grand Slam in 2005, Australia were the Southern Hemisphere scalp of choice for then Wales coach Mike Ruddock during the Autumn internationals. Wales won 24-22 in the first victory over Australia since1987 RWC, Shane Williams scored one of the tries.
Wales also came within a point of beating New Zealand in the Autumn series of 2004 when Ruddock’s side lost 26 -25 to Henry’s men and we also held South Africa to within a two point deficit at 38-36.
The New Zealand game will be the All Black’s first at the Millennium Stadium since their shock exit to France during the Rugby World Cup.
Wales’s only loss to Canada came in 1993 at Cardiff Arms Park with a 26- 24 defeat for Alan Davies’ men. This Friday night game has been priced specifically with the family market in mind, with a family of four able to attend for as little as £50.
Despite the World Champion status of South Africa, All Blacks tickets are still selling fastest meaning we are imposing a four per person limit on purchasers.
In a first for the WRU tickets are on sale over three months in advance of the matches, but we still expect them to sell quickly so fans are advised to act now to avoid disappointment.
FIXTURES:
8 Nov Wales v South Africa 14.30
Full record against South Africa
P W D L F A Tries
22 1 1 20 280 615 25-80
14 Nov Wales v Canada 19.30
Full record against Canada
P W D L F A Tries
10 9 0 1 394 171 46-12
22 Nov Wales v New Zealand 17.15
Full record against New Zealand
P W D L F A Tries
23 3 0 20 216 693 21-93
29 Nov Wales v Australia 14.30
Full record against Australia
P W D L F A Tries
27 9 1 17 378 617 40-83
