THE Welsh Rugby Union is today due to announce a “get tough” ticketing policy for Wales’ autumn internationals. Tickets are expected to be like gold dust for the Six Nations champions’ plum tests - against New Zealand, South Africa and Australia. Wales open their campaign in the battle of the hemispheres against Tri-Nations winners the All Blacks at the Millennium Stadium on November 5. Tickets were yesterday being offered on internet sites for around £220 with one firm offering 20 for £5,500. As the tests draw nearer, bidding is likely to increase on internet auction websites. WRU Group chief executive David Moffett and Paul Sergeant, Millennium Stadium chief executive, are expected to urge people not to pay over the odds for tickets at a press conference in Cardiff today when they unveil a tough new policy. Tickets for the autumn series - Wales also face Fiji - have been offered to the WRU’s member clubs and debenture holders. One guaranteed way of getting offered a ticket for all Wales’ games is by buying a £6,000 debenture. Yesterday there were 328 left of the latest batch to be put on sale. Buyers get their money back after 25 years. The WRU has sold 472 since putting 800 on sale recently. Touts pushed tickets up to record prices in the run-up to the Grand Slam finale, earlier this year. Bidding for the final Wales versus Ireland match reached thousands of pounds on auction website eBay. Cracking down on the black-market ticket trade is more difficult in rugby than football. It is illegal for football tickets to be sold on after they have been bought from official vendors, so police can separate rival fans.

Posted: 09|8|05 at 8:29 am. Filed under: UK News.