Last of coveted Six Nations tickets to be sold online

IT’S been a massive ticket scramble but the last of the IRFU’s allocation for the Six Nations visits of France and England will go on sale tomorrow morning.

With the clubs, sponsors and visiting unions all catered for, any returns from those sources will now be sold online from 8am tomorrow but, as the saying goes, ‘If you’re not in, you can’t win’.

For most supporters, it is already too late.

The online sale will be restricted to members of the Irish Rugby Supporters Club and, in order to participate in tomorrow’s lottery, only those who were signed up by midnight last Sunday are eligible.

The golden tickets — all of which are for the stands — will be allocated on a first come, first served basis in the morning.

IRFU officials were unable to say yesterday how many tickets would actually be made available but, given the magnitude of both occasions, the number of returns isn’t likely to be bountiful.

Even those Supporters Club members who are successful in purchasing tickets will have to settle for a solitary pair for either the French or English match as the association attempts to ensure as many people as possible get a chance to take in the historic occasions.

Beyond that, the only option for those desperate to see history being made next month is to log on and take their chances with the numerous unofficial ticketing sites both at home and abroad.

Aside from ebay, there are at least two Irish websites offering tickets for the two games but, with prices ranging from €900 for a premium seat for the England game down to €250 for a terrace ticket for the French encounter, both are clearly targeting the corporate sector.

Even there, the volume of tickets is relatively small but those looking for the next best thing could turn to the Irish soccer team’s first game at GAA HQ the following month.

Davin Stand tickets for the ROI’s European Championship qualifier against Wales are selling at a more accommodating €120.