KEY POINTS:
A low-key buildup for the All Blacks' first test of the season and a weak French team equate to empty seats at Eden Park.
About 8000 of the 44,500 tickets for tomorrow's game against France had yet to be sold yesterday.
Auckland Rugby Union marketing manager Grant McKenzie blamed the lower sales on the game coinciding with Queen's Birthday weekend and that the ground would be the venue for a test against Australia in July.
But he was still hopeful of a "reasonably significant" walk-up crowd of about 5000 people on the day depending on the weather, which would be a lot better than the crowd of about 20,000 who watched New Zealand play Canada in 1995.
All Black legend Colin Meads said the weakened French side, who are paying $11 odds at the TAB, had probably contributed to the lack of hype surrounding tomorrow's match.
With 14 uncapped players in the touring side and the bulk of its leading players unavailable because of domestic club commitments, France look unlikely to add to their last victory against New Zealand when they won 42-23 at Marseille in 2000.
But Meads, who played 55 tests for the All Blacks, said: "This is the team I would be most worried about."
He said the All Blacks were in a no-win situation.
"If they don't win by a big score, they'll be ostracised and, if they were to get beaten, it would be a calamity.
"It's the first one up and we're going to be rusty as hell and they'll really take it to us I think."
Former All Black prop now rugby commentator John Drake said the decline in interest in All Black test matches was a "trend that has evolved and it's probably a worrying trend".
"It's not a recent phenomenon and I think the supporters are getting pretty cynical about the amount of test matches and the quality of them," he said.
"I don't think it's all of a sudden; last year they were struggling to sell tickets to test matches in Christchurch and Auckland as well."
The weakened French squad have been criticised by All Blacks coach Graham Henry who also took a swipe at England and Wales for adopting the same policy. But Drake said New Zealand had also taken second-string All Black sides on tour and were far from blameless.
The veterans' view
Bill Bush, 11 tests, 1970s
'I suppose you could say it's been a low-key build up, which is unlike the days when we played and everyone knew a couple of months out when the games were.
You wouldn't think there was a test on this Saturday.'
Dave Loveridge, 24 tests, 1978-1985
'Obviously, with not a full strength French team it lends itself to a lot of people thinking the hype is not there. It's taken a bit of gloss off it. But this is the start of the All Black campaign this year, and hopefully the interest will build.'
