Rugby fans see red after travel firm collapse

Hundreds of Welsh rugby fans planning to go to Dublin for next week’s international face missing out because their travel company has gone into liquidation, it emerged today.

The fans had booked their trips through Global Sports Travel Limited, which specialises in sporting trips, a spokesman for liquidator Grant Thornton said.

About 560 people have paid the company, based in Llandarcy, Neath, south Wales, at least £145 (€214) each for a trip to Dublin when Wales take on Ireland in a Six Nations game at Lansdowne Road on February 22.

The spokesman said arrangements had been made with another tour operator to help travellers where possible – but there will be extra costs involved.

He added that investigations were still going on to find out if the firm was registered with ATOL, which would give customers protection.

"Early indications are that it did not,” he said. “Therefore travellers have no recourse unless they bought tickets using a credit card.”