Rugby test shaping up as ticket sell-out

BACK AGAIN: Keven Mealamu, the only player from All Blacks 2005 trial in Napier, will be here again tomorrow to prepare for next Saturday's Rugby Championship test match against Argentina at McLean Park. PHOTO/FILE

Rugby fans are zeroing-in on a sell-out for next weekend's rugby test with possibly less than a 1000 tickets to sell on the eve of the arrival of the show's stars tomorrow.

Hawke's Bay Rugby Union marketing manager Jay Campbell said late yesterday more than 300 tickets had sold during the day, meaning more than 21,000 have gone.

About 1100 remained to be sold but he forecast a quick sale bolstered by the arrival of the All Blacks tomorrow, a party of players and officials totalling more than 50 mainly from two flights, from Auckland and Wellington at Hawke's Bay Airport soon after 10am.

The Argentine Pumas arrive on Thursday.

Some spin-off can also be expected if the Hawke's Bay Magpies light the fuse of rugby fever by winning the Ranfurly Shield today in Pukekohe from Countries Manukau, to whom they lost the shield after holding it for just six days last year.

After a week off since the crushing 51-20 win over Australia in Auckland, tomorrow's assembly will be the biggest gathering of All Blacks in Hawke's Bay since Jonah Lomu's big introduction in an All Blacks trial in 1994, surpassing even Hawke's Bay's last All Blacks trial nine years ago, from which the only player left returning to Napier is hooker Keven Mealamu.

The arrival is, however, one of the few notified public events involving either team before the kick-off at 7.35pm next Saturday.

The All Blacks will be at the Napier Municipal Theatre on Monday live on stage from 4.30-6pm, something that is being billed as the team's last "public appearance" nationally this year apart from Saturday's test.

Unlike the test, it's "FREE", the rugby unions say, and it will be hosted by media personalities Nua Finau, of Small Blacks TV, and Makere Bradnam, of Random Rugby.

Mr Campbell said: "Get along and find out something new about your favourite players, and why our national game is great."

MetService says raincoats will be needed for next Saturday's test, forecasting "rain with westerlies", with a maximum temperature of 16C.