Rugby: Australia signals rethink as fans fail to turn out

Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie (centre). Photo / Mark Mitchell

Rugby's heartlands of Sydney and Brisbane will vie to host more test matches due to a slump in crowd numbers around the country.

A drop in attendances and the fickle Gold Coast market has put the spotlight on Wallabies' crowds ahead of this weekend's clash with Argentina. The tourist strip may be hosting their last Rugby Championship match if ticket sales don't dramatically improve before Saturday night's kick-off at Cbus Super Stadium.

A disappointing turnout of less than 15,000 is forecast for the test, only the second ever to be played on the Gold Coast.

The first, also against the Pumas in September 2012, attracted 22,278.

Slow sales this week prompted Australia coach Ewen McKenzie to warn locals the city would lose hosting rights if they didn't go closer to selling out the 27,000-seat venue.

"You've only got seven domestic test matches to make all your money in any given year, so the goal is obviously to fill stadiums," McKenzie said.

While the Coast has traditionally had problems drawing crowds to all football codes, highlighted by NRL club Gold Coast Titans posting a record low average of 13,194 this season, the Australian Rugby Union's crowd-drawing concerns also spread to west and south.

Perth's Paterson Stadium only drew 25,718 for last weekend's test with South Africa - significantly fewer than the same fixture two years before (34,377). Melbourne's Etihad Stadium was also only half full when 27,189 fans turned out to watch France play in June.

Sydney has struggled to pack out the 83,000-capacity ANZ Stadium while Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium (52,500) was two-thirds full against the French, but both regularly ensure good gate receipts.

The Waratahs and Reds also enjoy healthy crowd support in Super Rugby, giving rugby's main centres - who both generally host two tests each year - a better case. Next year will create bigger challenges for the cash-strapped ARU with the Rugby World Cup, to be held in England in September-October, drastically reducing the number of domestic tests and expected revenue.

Tickets for next year's World Cup in England went on sale early today (NZT), with those for popular matches to be distributed via a ballot, organisers have confirmed.

Prices for adults start at 15 ($29.80) - 7 for children - and rise to 715 for the best seats for the final at Twickenham. The average ticket costs around 100. "We have worked hard to create as many low-priced tickets as we can," said a spokeswoman from England Rugby 2015.

"Over half a million tickets will cost 50 pounds, but it is a balance as ticketing revenue is our only revenue stream to fund the tournament."

A traffic light indicator on the Rugby World Cup's ticket website, www.tickets.rugbyworldcup.com, will highlight the matches that are receiving the most applications and are likely to go to a ballot.

"Fans have 17 days to apply, so they should take time to consider what they would like to purchase," said Debbie Jevans, the chief executive of England Rugby 2015.

- AAP