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LONDON - Disappointed New Zealand and Australian rugby fans are cashing in on a scrum for tickets to the World Cup final between England and South Africa in Paris on Sunday (NZT).
All Blacks and Wallabies supporters had the chance to ease the pain of their nations' unexpected quarterfinal exits, with secondhand tickets for the final at the Stade de France in Paris fetching thousands of dollars.
The obvious source for much of the demand was English fans keen to cross the channel after their once unfancied team's surprise passage to the final where they could become the first country to win successive titles.
Eric Baker, chief executive of online secondary ticket exchange viagogo, said tickets were changing hands for between A3;400 ($1090) and more than A3;3000 ($8170).
"This has been the most heavily trafficked event we've seen in the last few years," Baker said.
"It's more coveted even than the Led Zeppelin reunion concert."
Antipodean website www.gumtree.com has been inundated by "gutted", "heartbroken", "devastated" and "angry" New Zealand and Australian fans looking to sell tickets.
They were joined by dejected French supporters after the hosts lost their semifinal to England last weekend.
Meanwhile, there were also appeals from South African and English fans seeking tickets.
The general asking price was A3;1000 to A3;1500 each.
It seems All Blacks supporters backed their team to advance furthest in the tournament as they outnumbered their Australian and French counterparts among those selling tickets to the final.
One said: "Bought them thinking New Zealand would be there, unfortunately we (are) officially chokers!"
Another said: "Reason for selling: All Black fan (slowly recovering)."
Two Australian fans were seeking A3;1500 for their flights on a budget airline and two nights' accommodation.
Travel and hotel rooms were in big demand, with the Eurostar putting on seven extra trains for the final.
The high-speed rail service between London and Paris had more than 5000 inquiries within the first hour of England's victory over France.
The Hotel and Restaurant Association said hotels in the centre of Paris were already almost 90 per cent full, according to Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper.
On eBay, a bid for a pair of match tickets including dinner with England's 2003 World Cup-winning captain Martin Johnson stood at A3;8500.
- AAP
