WELLINGTON: Super Rugby finals fever reached Hamilton yesterday with fans queuing overnight to purchase tickets to the Waikato Chiefs showdown with Australia’s ACT Brumbies on Saturday.
The Chiefs won the title last year and advanced to their second successive final after a tense 20-19 victory over the seven-time champion Canterbury Crusaders last Saturday.
As top qualifiers during the regular season they had the right to host the final.
Tickets to the general public went on sale at 0800 local yesterday (2000 GMT Tuesday) and local media reported that some fans had arrived at Waikato Stadium late on Tuesday and withstood chilly overnight conditions to ensure they were able to snap up tickets.
The local Waikato Times newspaper said early yesterday the queue for the 13,000 available tickets for the final, stretched several hundred metres down the road.
The Chiefs said in a statement yesterday they had already sold 12,000 tickets to their season pass holders.
The Canberra-based Brumbies arrive in New Zealand today.
The team only arrived back in Australia from Pretoria, where they beat the Bulls 26-23, on Monday.
REUTERS
