Half a million Rugby World Cup tickets sold

More than half a million tickets have been sold in the first phase of sales for next year's Rugby World Cup.
Rugby New Zealand 2011 Chief Executive Martin Snedden said sales targets were on track after 503,000 tickets worth $76 million were sold in the first window which ended in May. Those sales featured team and venue pool packs as well as tickets to quarterfinals and the third-fourth playoff.
About 100,000 of tickets were purchased overseas, with fans from United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Australia and South Africa prominent. Some 20,000 fans from 85 different countries were successful in their applications.
Snedden explained âthe initial demand for tickets has been very strong, both from fans in New Zealand and around the world, and bodes well for capacity crowds in 2011.�?.
Snedden expected that orders through subsequent ticket phases, further purchase of official travel and hospitality packages as well as the swelling number of media, sponsors and officials will see visitor numbers continue to rise.
Applications for the second phase of ticketing, for individual match tickets, open for a four week period on 10th September with Snedden saying those wanting to attend tournament matches should be aware of the importance of the phase.
"It may well be their last chance to buy tickets until well into next year and also the last chance to enter the ballots for semifinals and final tickets.
"We have already seen demand outstrip supply for some matches and advise fans not to leave it too late and to apply during this second phase."
Approximately 400,000 individual tickets will be made available for all matches except the semifinals and the final.
Similar to the first phase, fans may apply for tickets to matches of their choice and all applications have an equal chance of success.
Snedden concluded âwhile tickets will be available for 45 matches, demand to date has been exceptionally strong for matches at Eden Park and the quarterfinals in Wellington and Christchurch," "We expect that fewer than 2000 tickets will be available for each quarterfinal and the New Zealand v Tonga, New Zealand v France, England v Scotland, and Australia v Ireland matches at Eden Park.
"In addition most tickets within the lowest price category have been snapped up at Eden Park, Wellington and Christchurch."