SA Rugby cuts Springboks-England ticket prices

The South African national rugby team will launch its season and the new Nations Championship on Saturday, July 4, against England at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, with kickoff scheduled for 5:40 p.m. The match marks England's first visit to South Africa in eight years.

The buildup to the historic fixture has been dominated by concerns over ticket sales. Reports earlier this week indicated only around 21,000 to 25,000 tickets had been sold for the 62,000-seat stadium, with many fans criticizing high prices that ranged from 950 to 3,000 rand. In response, SA Rugby slashed the price of the cheapest tickets to 650 rand.

The governing body has strongly rejected what it called "erroneous and misinformed" predictions of low attendance. In a statement, SA Rugby said assertions of a lack of interest were unfounded and not supported by actual sales data. It expressed hope of getting close to the historic average attendance for England Tests in South Africa, which is 91 percent of stadium capacity.

A spokesperson cited broader economic pressures, including the impact of the war in Iran, as a factor affecting disposable income and ticket sales across the retail sector. The...