Rugby World Cup organisers launch attack on scalpers

Spectators are bathed in sunlight during the Rugby World Cup Pool C match between Argentina and New Zealand at Wembley. photo / AP

Rugby World Cup organisers have gone on the offensive against scalpers and fans onselling match tickets for huge profits.

Hundreds of individuals and almost 50 websites have been targeted in a swoop.

Cup officials revealed overnight that they have issued more than 600 letters to people selling their tickets on secondary ticketing sites. The "offenders" have been urged to use the official RWC resale channel instead and warned that failure to comply was against the terms and conditions of their tickets.

England Rugby 2015 claim the majority of fans have complied. However, there are still hundreds of tickets available on secondary ticketing websites. Organisers failed to persuade the British government to criminalise the resale of tickets and as a result, swarms of touts are still being spotted around tournament stadiums.

Cease and desist letters have been sent to 46 websites, 30 of which were based overseas. Eight have been shut down. London police have also targeted fraudsters offering non-existent tickets.

One legitimate secondary ticketing site, Viagogo, said this week that tickets for England's clash with Australia were being sold for almost $NZ10,000 each (£4,000) - the highest for any non-final in any sport since it launched.

"Our ticket terms and conditions prohibit the resale of tickets using secondary market websites," said an England 2015 spokesperson.

"Anyone purchasing Rugby World Cup tickets from these websites runs the risk that they will be refused entry to the match. We recognise that there may be valid reasons why someone can no longer use their tickets and for this reason we allow fans to resell their tickets at face value to other rugby fans through our official ticketing website at tickets.rugbyworldcup.com. So far over 55,000 tickets have been resold in this way."

Although reselling Rugby World Cup tickets is not in itself a criminal offence in the UK, Metropolitan Police said six men were arrested in Twickenham under the Proceeds of Crime Act after being observed selling tickets before the England v Wales match. Officers seized 12 tickets and £4,000 and all six were bailed pending further inquiries.

Meanwhile, World Cup organisers have made changes to the transport operation in Cardiff for the remainder of the tournament in the wake of mounting criticism. Supporters attending the three matches at the Millennium Stadium have complained of long queues and overcrowded trains as they have struggled to get to and from Cardiff.

The All Blacks play Georgia at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday morning NZ time.