72 000 tickets sold for Mandela plate match

SYDNEY. – Tickets for the first Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate match between
Australia and the Springboks on Saturday at the Telstra Stadium in Sydney,
are selling like hot cakes.

An amazing amount of 70 000 tickets were already sold by Thursday evening,
easily making it the biggest crowd to watch a Springbok match since Jake
White took over as coach early last year.

The Telstra Stadium boasts a capacity of 83 500 seats.

“I think it is fantastic that so many rugby enthusiasts will come and watch
us play against the Wallabies.

“The Wallabies have achieved a great deal of success over the past few years
and rugby fans will be in for a great Test contest,” said Springbok coach
Jake White.

The Springboks received a dose of good news yesterday afternoon when utility
forward Joe van Niekerk was declared fit to take his place on the bench on
Saturday.

Van Niekerk sustained a slight hamstring strain earlier this week, but
easily passed his fitness test yesterday afternoon.