Flash venue but ticket sales disappoint

Taking the All Blacks to Rustenburg has proved to be less than a financial winner for the South African Rugby Union.

The lure of watching the best rugby side in the world has failed to attract a full house at the 40,000 seat Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace arena with officials saying there are still 14,000 tickets left for Sunday's test.

Blame for the slow sales has been directed at the Springboks' poor form as they face a sixth straight defeat this weekend which would equal their worst losing sequence in their centenary test season.

It is a huge disappointment for the region and the union, who were looking to broaden the appeal of rugby to challenge soccer's influence as the 2010 World Cup approaches.

Hosting rights for the test were engineered by former Saru president Brian van Rooyen as he sought to create stronger political support during his troubled tenure.

The stadium belongs to Africa's richest tribe, the Bafokeng, whose surrounding land holds huge reserves of platinum.

But spectator apathy has raised debate about whether this will be the first and last rugby test at the venue.

The stadium cost about R500 million ($108 million) to build and has undergone a R2 million overhaul for the Tri-Nations encounter.

The ground is usually used as a soccer venue and training facility and the complex has gyms, an Olympic size swimming pool, basketball and tennis courts.

Meanwhile, Springboks coach Jake White has shot back at his opposite Graham Henry over his calls for the International Rugby Board to clamp down on foul play.

Henry said on Wednesday he would contact the IRB to request it clamp down on foul play after recent unpunished incidents involving star All Blacks Richie McCaw (a swinging arm from Wallabies flanker Phil Waugh) and Daniel Carter (a high tackle from Springboks lock Victor Matfield).

White was quick to remind Henry not to throw stones from glass houses.

"Ali Williams punched [Springboks lock] Johann Muller and Jerry Collins pulled [Wallabies flanker] George Smith's hair. I don't see anything written about that."