Slow Hong Kong sales disappoint All Blacks assistant

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WHERE THE BLOODY HELL ARE YA?: The All Blacks perform the haka in front of an almost sellout crowd before the Bledisloe Cup test against Australia in Hong Kong in 2008.

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Slow ticket sales threaten Hong Kong Bledisloe Cup test

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The All Blacks are backing next month's Bledisloe IV test in Hong Kong despite meagre ticket sales putting the October 30 fixture at grave risk of being cancelled or relocated.

Revelations emerged last night that the fixture is under threat with the New Zealand Rugby Union confirming demand for the match - the third late-year Bledisloe test to be held in Asia - was a serious concern. It's understood well under 10,000 tickets have been sold for the 40,000-capacity venue.

It's thought that unless there is a late run of sales the NZRU and their Australian counterparts may have no choice but to look at an alternative option.

Switching the test to England's London headquarters at Twickenham is thought to be the preferred option, though an NZRU spokesman today emphasised the situation had not yet reached that stage.

Assistant coach Wayne Smith said today he was disappointed that the fixture had been put under threat and he hoped interest could be revived to make the match a viability.

Both the All Blacks and Wallabies regard the match as a useful warmup, and ideal stopover, for their November tours to the north. Their bosses also like the idea of it being a potential money-spinner.

But it appears that the ravages of the economic downturn, the fact that the fixture is no longer a novelty and possibly the All Blacks' utter domination of the Wallabies have all conspired to send a clear message on the viability of the fixture.

"It's a good place to go and we're hoping it's going to be on," said Smith ahead of this week's Bledisloe III at ANZ Stadium.

"Some of those more exotic venues are good for the guys because they're out of the ordinary, they're off the treadmill and you're into new territory.

"They sort of freshen you up a wee bit."

It's understood the All Blacks are not keen to spend the first two weeks of their tour in London (they meet England to kick off their latest Grand Slam attempt on November 6) and they will be hoping that publicity around slow ticket sales serves as a kick-start.

"We enjoy that stopover," added Smith. "It's a different culture, a different place to play and is off the beaten track so to speak in terms of rugby venues."

The first "neutral" Bledisloe was held at Hong Kong Stadium in 2008, though even that failed to attract a full house.

Last year the match was moved to Tokyo's Olympic Stadium, where it proved a financial disaster. Ticket giveaways were required to lift crowd numbers and it failed to net anywhere near the profit that has been hoped for.

Twickenham holds potential with the vast number of antipodeans living in London, though there would clearly be risks associated with holding the match there. It's not known whether it would be available at such late notice either.

The All Blacks follow their England match on November 6 with tests against Scotland, Ireland and Wales on successive weekends.

The Wallabies are playing Wales, England, Italy and France as well as midweek matches against Munster and Leicester.

- © Fairfax NZ News