Rugby Union crash-tackles scalpers

Scalpers hoping to make a quick buck out of the thousands of Lions supporters expected on tour here in June are facing the red card from the New Zealand Rugby Union.

The union says it has already cancelled some scalped tickets bought over the internet, and warns that flicking tickets on to Lions supporters could nullify the All Blacks' home-ground advantage.

Deputy chief executive Steve Tew said almost all test tickets for the Lions tour had been allocated and balloting for provincial games was about to get under way.

He believed the "vast majority" of tickets scalped by New Zealanders would be bought by Lions fans, stacking stadiums in favour of the visiting side.

"New Zealanders under-estimate the size of the touring party and the noise and atmosphere they will create in supporting their team," Mr Tew said.

"We've got allocation of tickets for New Zealanders. If too many of those end up in the hands of British Lions supporters we will not have a home advantage for the All Blacks."

A "small number" of tickets had been cancelled, but he would not give details of how many or say how the profiteers were being tracked down.

Mr Tew said money made from the tour should go back to the NZRFU.

"Clearly if there's a blackmarket for prices higher than we've been charging, we could also have charged those prices and returned the additional money to the game."

Scalpers continued to go about their business yesterday, offering a handful of test tickets in auctions on New Zealand's TradeMe website and Britain's E-bay.

One enterprising TradeMe seller offered two nights' accommodation and a fishing trip - with two under-cover seats for the second test in Wellington on July 2 thrown in for free. The package failed to meet its reserve price of $1650, with bids reaching $1620.

The seller copped some flak from potential buyers.

"Come on mate, we know your game, if the rugby tickets are free I'll have them," said one.

Another said the tickets were a "rip off", with British travel agents still offering seated test tickets for $795 to Lions fans.

New Zealanders have been allocated 155,000 seats at both tests and provincial games for the tour, which kicks off on June 4 against Bay of Plenty in Rotorua.