Canes tickets snapped up

Hurricanes match manager Sam Kershaw with the last couple of stand tickets for Friday's big game. Photo / Duncan Brown

Early yesterday afternoon at McLean Park in Napier two things were being prepared in the build-up to Friday's big Super 15 clash between the Hurricanes and Highlanders.

Initial ground preparation work got under way, as did preparation for putting up the sign which declares "sold out" when it comes to seated ground tickets. It was not quite, at that stage, a sell-out.

"There are three tickets left," Hawke's Bay Rugby administration and front-of-house person Becks Warren said with a smile.

"That's it - but there are still ground tickets for the bank."

The three tickets were all single seats - one in the Graeme Lowe Stand, one in the Rodney Green Stand and one in the Harris Stand.

However, within the few minutes it took for a Hawke's Bay Today photographer to get a shot of the three, they went down to two.

"It's gone really well," said Hurricanes match manager Sam Kershaw.

For Ms Kershaw, the match means a return to the Bay from her usual Wellington base - she is from Havelock North.

As commercial manager Jay Campbell predicted last week, there had been a run on tickets to the clash between two high-flying sides eyeing the Super 15 title.

Hurricanes chief executive James Te Puni said it was exciting to be able to take a game "of this magnitude" to Napier.

"There's a lot riding on this game for both teams - it will go a long way to determining the placings for the final six."

He said the Hurricanes squad were delighted to hear ticket sales had been strong and valued the support of their Hawke's Bay fans.

"The team are looking forward to coming up there and getting out and about in the community," Mr Te Puni said.

" They've got plenty planned which will hopefully give everyone in Hawke's Bay an opportunity to see them."

The Hurricanes are due to fly into the Bay this afternoon and are expected to head straight out to Tremain Field, at Park Island off Clyde Jeffrey Drive, for a training session from 3.30pm.

The public are invited to head out and see the championship's leading team go through their paces, with fans being given the opportunity to get photos and autographs before the squad leave the park about 5.30pm.

While the final schedule was still being prepared yesterday players were planning visits to schools, the children's ward at Hawke's Bay Hospital and a Ripper Rugby Tournament on Friday.

In terms of weather the timing looks good, with Friday's forecast for clear skies, with a high of 14C and an overnight low of 5C.

The match, the eighth the Hurricanes will have played in Napier since 1996, kicks off at 7.35pm.

-Ground entry tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children.