Peter Bills: Prices of official Rugby World Cup products take breath away

Photo / Paul Estcourt

Peter Bills last year said New Zealand was a rip-off. He's now finding it's still happening ...

Okay, okay - we're a captive market, sheep waiting to be fleeced. But even so, the price of some of the Rugby World Cup 2011 official products takes your breath away.

I strolled into the official store at Eden Park one morning this week and I came across something strange. Hardly a single item of clothing had a price on it.

"Is it that the prices are liable to induce heart attacks?" I asked an assistant. "Er no," she said hesitantly.

Alas, my suspicions were correct.

How much for a black world cup windbreaker with the Webb Ellis Cup logo on the front? $318, she said. No, no, I pleaded; I don't want a box full, just one.

Okay then, how about a T-shirt to take home? Try $72.

"Is that expensive?" the assistant asked me.

"Well, put it like this, you can buy a decent T-shirt in London or Paris for less than half that."

And so it went on. A rugby jersey with the logos of the competing countries was priced at $145. For less than that, you can buy a smart fashion rugby jersey from those renowned, stylish French sporting shops, "Eden Park" (with the pink bow-tie logo) or "Serge Blanco".

I know this is special, a World Cup. But these prices look as intimidating as some of those Tongan forwards.

I exited the shop empty handed. I suspect plenty of others will, too.