Tickets not selling for Bok Test
Milan’s San Siro will have over 80 000 supporters for Italy’s Test against the All Blacks, but the Bok Test a week later is struggling to sell.
Reuters reports that this weekend’s match between the Kiwis and the Azzurri will be the biggest crowd ever for a rugby Test in Italy, but for the match against the Boks at the 42 000-capacity Stadio Friuli, organisers are struggling to sell.
The Boks may be planning on resting a number of first-choice players for the Test in Udine, but the All Blacks are set to do the same. In September, the Test in Udine was switched from Florence’s Stadio Franchi due to a Serie A soccer match.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
WHAT?????? Makes me think of the Shark tank in the semi’s when the Durban Dragons didn’t arrive to support their team!
November 10th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
why is this game not in Rome, no one will go to Udine, it is close to the Austrian border and will be freezing this time of the year…
November 10th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
seems the eyeties think they have a shot of knocking off the kiwis?
November 10th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
Because we don’t and haven’t picked our best players.
South Africa lost to Leicester without 6 of their best players!!
November 10th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
I wonder if JL1 has any opinion on why the supreme RWChampion Springboks are not selling out stadiums that are half the size of the ABs in Europe. Because, according to JL1, crowd no’s tell you everything you need to know about the popularity and success of a nations rugby team. The ABs sold out Hong Kong last year, neutral territory, and Tokyo again this year, neutral territory there too.
At this early stage, the Boks would be lucky to sell out my office bathroom for a Tupperware party.
November 10th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
#5 WakaNathan: which stadium are they not selling out?
November 10th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
#6 Big Hit:
did you read the article, BH ?
November 10th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
eyeties have seen what **** we have brought along as our second team
November 10th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
#7 WakaNathan: apols waka, I just clicked your post on the quick links at the bottom. I had a feeling it might’ve been the Italian game.
Apparently they had a late change in venue to Udine thanks to Serie A club needing use of the stadium in another city where the game was supposed to be held.
All three SH sides sell tickets well in the NH as do the Argies and even 6N games in Italy.
November 10th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
#9 Big Hit: Just goes to show what team is the biggest draw card in world rugby, eh?
We may not be world champs, but what the hey, we are still the most popular, don’t see the worlds best soccer stars hanging around with JWilki or with Bakkies or George eh?
November 10th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
I made the effort to go, but the late change of venue means I am stuck in Florence. I am only going for the weekend and with Udine over 4 hours away, wont be able to see the game. Think a lot of South Africans are in the same boat…..not happy
November 10th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
#9 Big Hit:
no worries BH, Im sure when my name flashes up the little Green Monster pokes his trident in to your temple and fingers start tapping the keys faster than Liberace.
#11 fml_17:
Altho, you ARE in Florence !
Tells ya what, head over the Porto Vecchio, veer right/stright for 2mins and you should come to Piazza Santo Spirito. Ignore all the fancy tourist options for restaurants and you will find a classic trattoria on the sth-west corner of the Piazza, glass windows all the way around. It is a family run restaurant with no particular name but is heaven sent with food to die for, large portions at cheap prices and wonderful hospitality. It’ll be busy so dont stand around looking for silver service, grab a spare chair. Tell Mama Rosa ‘the Kiwi from Siena’ sent you and you will be treated like Kings (I eat there 2-3 times per month when Im there on business).
Buon appetito !
November 10th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
#12 WakaNathan:
and if you need a place to stay to the Villa San Michele and tell them Gunther sent you they will look after you like their first born …
November 10th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
#12 WakaNathan:
what business are you in that sends you to firenze?
November 10th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
#14 gunther:
Finance. My business is a fund partly owned by an Italian Bank based in Siena.
Did you live in Firenze ?
November 10th, 2009 at 8:17 pm
#15 WakaNathan:
nope been there a couple of times not on business…. am in wealth management…
November 10th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
#16 gunther:
Lovely town, Firenze. Unfort overrun by tourists. Much like Venice, altho its easy to escape the tourist hussle bustle in Venice and see where the real locals (head to Dorsudoro). Next time you venture to Toscana, make sure you visit the smaller towns, Montepulciano, Lucca, San Giminiano etc. Still touristy but stunning and much more of a taste of ‘real Italia’.
Buona seratta.
November 10th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
#17 WakaNathan:
roger that ….. thanks will check it out am over in europe in march…
November 11th, 2009 at 1:36 am
not to worry lads.. croke park is sold out at 82,500 for the arrival of the boks on 28th. Its building up big time.
November 11th, 2009 at 1:54 am
If they would let us know where we can buy the freaking tickets from then I would buy them, 3 of us are flying to Venice for the game(we were lucky came within a whisker of booking flights to Florence), Udine is about an hour and a half away and the only tickets we have managed to locate so far cost £80 each which is way over priced. If anyone has any suggestions I would appreciate it
November 11th, 2009 at 4:51 am
#10 CHAZ: Wilkinson is one rugby’s only two global superstars, the other one being Jonah Lomu
November 11th, 2009 at 8:21 am
sounds to me like the Itals fancy there chances against the ABs. And of course they’re playing in Milan which helps.
The real irony is that the ABs struggle to sell out at home, and will never have an 80,000 seat stadium!
November 11th, 2009 at 9:00 am
#17 WakaNathan: And do not forget small mountain towns in Tuscany, like Bagni di Luca, etc. Real gemsa and people there are very friendly.
Firenze is too noisy for me, although stunning architecture. And there is always a risk of being hit by a motocycle, they simply ignore even pedestrian crossing signs. No, this is not a polite Oslo.
November 11th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
#23 Nils:
Yep, Firenze is well down my list of Italian favouites too.
If youre weary of moped death-wasps there, then stay away from Napoli. There, traffic slows down/stops for Green lights (because they know everyone is going thru the corresponding Red) and accelerate coming in to Reds (knowing that they simply must get thru to beat the opposing traffic). I kid you not. There also doesnt seem to be any lanes, altho they are marked, and cars pass right in front of you whilst accelerating. Complete mayhem, but what a great city.
Head down to Puglia region (the heel of the boot) and spend some time in Gallipoli and Otranto. Cheap, culturally diverse, great seafood and edgy. A gem.
November 11th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
#21 Big Hit: I think Lomu is starting to play again this weekend.
November 12th, 2009 at 1:56 am
#21 Big Hit:
youre kiddin, right ?