SA Rugby takes legal action against unofficial agencies over fake All Blacks Test tickets

The South African Rugby Union (SARU) is suing unauthorized travel agencies for falsely implicating the rugby governing body after a large number of fans were denied tickets for Saturday's sold-out Test match between the Springboks and the All Blacks in Cape Town. Numerous supporters claimed they were duped out of tickets for the highly anticipated game at DHL Stadium.

SARU explained that these third-party operators were operating outside the official ticketing system, leaving affected fans without legal recourse through official channels. "SA Rugby is seeking legal redress against travel agencies who have claimed that failures on the part of SA Rugby were responsible for fans being left ticketless for today’s Castle Double Malt Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Test at DHL Stadium," SARU confirmed in an official statement.

"In subsequent communication with disappointed clients, claims have been made that the issue lay at the door of SA Rugby. This is completely untrue." The union added that the agencies deceitfully promised access to tickets they did not possess, directly violating the event's terms and conditions of sale. "These companies acted illegally and recklessly in pursuit of their own commercial gain at the expense of their clients," the statement read.

"SA Rugby has turned the matter over to its attorneys." On the field, the Springboks aim to bounce back after losing the series opener at Ellis Park in Johannesburg the previous week. Adding to the pressure, South Africa suffered a late blow on Friday when flyhalf Handré Pollard was ruled out due to injury, leading to Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu taking the starting number 10 position.