Rugby World Cup ticket sales pass one million mark

Waipu's Sarah Morris is one of thousands of Kiwis who have now bought tickets for the Rugby World Cup. Photo / Northern Advocate/John Stone

Ticket sales for the Rugby World Cup have passed the one million mark.

Tournament organiser Rugby New Zealand 2011 said it had seen a surge in sales since all remaining tickets were put up for grabs this week.

It said the recent sales had boosted ticket revenue by $17 million to $220 million.

That is 82 per cent of its revenue target of $268.5 million - an operating loss of $39 million.

RNZ 2011 chief executive Martin Snedden said he was thrilled with how ticket sales had gone so far.

The tournament had more than nine times the revenue of 2005 British and Irish Lions tour - which held the previous record at $24 million, he said.

"This has been a tremendous start to our final ticketing campaign and we are thrilled with the way fans in New Zealand and around the world have responded.

"This is a fantastic result and is about where we expected to be with little over two months until the Tournament kicks-off."

Over the last six weeks 211,000 Rugby World Cup tickets have been sold for a total value of $51 million.

The cheapest All Blacks tickets available for the Rugby World Cup are now $194 each.

There are no seats left for the New Zealand-France pool match at Eden Park on September 24 and the Bronze and Grand Finals.

- HERALD ONLINE