RWC 2011: Time running out to get into finals ticket ballot

Prime Minister, John Key probably won't need to worry about the ticket ballot. Photo / Steven McNicholl

If you're hoping to be in the Eden Park grandstand watching the final or semifinals in the Rugby World Cup next year you had better get in quick.

Fans have until 5pm on October 8 to enter the ballot for tickets.

As tournament organisers hosted a "one year to go" celebration at Eden Park yesterday, they reminded fans that the second phase of ticketing, which starts at 9am today, was the last chance to enter the ballot for tickets to the finals and semifinals.

The first phase of ticket sales saw tickets allocated to fans wanting to support specific teams or watch games at chosen venues.

Fans who apply for tickets in the first two phases can apply to be placed in the ballot for tickets to the deciding matches.

Speaking to a gathering of tournament organisers and other officials, gathered around the Webb Ellis Cup in Eden Park's south stand, Prime Minister John Key launched the name of the national festival surrounding the tournament as the "Real New Zealand Festival".

Mr Key said excitement was building now we were one year out from the tournament's first match.

"You can almost taste the Rugby World Cup and I think for a lot of New Zealanders they're getting closer to starting to realise how significant this event is going to be.

"We have an opportunity to showcase to the world the very best of New Zealand - our wine, our food, our amazing scenery, the great opportunities that will be here for people to experience."

Mr Key said there would be more than 1000 events in the nationwide festival.

"It will be the largest event that New Zealand has hosted and I think it's going to be a magnificent campaign and I don't think it will just be on the field, I think it will be off the field.

"I think New Zealand will feel incredibly proud of the event when it's actually hosted in September next year."

Earlier, Mr Key started off a world record attempt for the most rugby ball passes. Throwing the first pass in drizzly weather in an effort that took three attempts because of dropped balls, Mr Key began the chain of events that saw a ball passed 270 times.

The record must achieve final sign-off by Guinness World Records before it is made official, but it is expected to beat the current record of 262 passes set in Edinburgh in 2005.

Rugby World Cup chairman Bernard Lapasset said yesterday marked when the countdown really began for the global rugby community.

Fans' anticipation and media coverage would now increase as New Zealand was thrust in the spotlight for the world's third-largest sports event.

HOW TO GET THEM
* Apply for tickets online at rugbyworldcup.com/tickets.

* Applications open at 9am today.

* There is a limit of four tickets per match, per person.

* If people apply for more tickets than available, applications will be selected at random.

* Only fans who apply for tickets in phase 1 or phase 2 can elect to enter the ballots for the semifinals and/or the final.

PLACES RESERVED FOR EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS
A selection of tickets to Rugby World Cup matches in Christchurch has been reserved for Cantabrians dealing with the aftermath of the earthquake.

At a "one year to go" celebration of the tournament at Eden Park yesterday, New Zealand Rugby Union chairman Jock Hobbs announced that tickets had been set aside for those who had more pressing concerns than buying them.

How many tickets would be reserved and how they would be sold would be known within two weeks.

"The people of Canterbury have obviously got so many other things on their mind so what we're going to do is to reserve some tickets for Canterbury matches to make available to the people of Canterbury.

"We want to reserve them to make sure that they're not disadvantaged on this ticketing phase because of the terrible situation that they're facing."

Rugby NZ 2011 chief executive Martin Snedden said Stadium Christchurch, the venue for seven matches, was cleared by structural engineers on Wednesday.

"We are monitoring potential impacts on our planning for RWC 2011.

"Cantabrians have shown great spirit in coping with this disaster - it is that spirit which gives us confidence that they will bounce back and put on a fantastic tournament next year."