adminWELLINGTON. — World Rugby forecasts a “game-changing” 2016 for the sport with sevens making its Olympic debut in Rio. But interest in the game’s short-form is waning in the 15-a-side code’s New Zealand stronghold, despite the appearance of superstar World Cup winner Sonny Bill Williams at the Wellington Sevens this week.
New Zealand considers itself the spiritual home of rugby, yet only about a third of the available tickets have been sold for this weekend’s round of the World Sevens Series in the capital.
For a tournament that was once an automatic sellout at the 35 000-seat Westpac Stadium, ticket sales slumped to 18 000 a day last year and are down to 12 000 this year, even though New Zealand are setting their sights on Olympic gold. — AFP.
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