Auckland Lions game almost sold out

The Auckland-Lions match has proven to be one of the best sellers of the provincial series, with just 400 tickets remaining for the July 5 clash.

But more than 10,000 tickets for the two South Island matches and 3000 for the Manawatu game in Palmerston North on June 28 are unsold.

With just three days before the Lions take on Otago in Dunedin, 4600 tickets remain, and 5500 are available for the Southland game in Invercargill on June 21.

Otago RFU chief Russell Gray was upbeat, saying the 25,000 tickets already sold was still a higher tally than the 15,000 who attended when the Lions last played Otago, in 1993.

Rugby Southland's boss, Roger Clark, said a 5000-strong walk-up crowd was normal for a lot of games.