Up to 3 000 rugby fans have been left out of pocket after unauthorised travel agencies sold tickets they never had for the Springboks versus All Blacks test at DHL Stadium in Cape Town.

SA Rugby has instructed its attorneys to pursue legal action against several travel agencies who sold the promise of tickets to the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry test on Saturday, despite having no access to legitimate tickets.

The governing body issued a media advisory confirming that the agencies acted “illegally and recklessly in pursuit of their own commercial gain at the expense of their clients”.

Many supporters, including international travellers who had paid for tickets months in advance, only discovered on the eve of the match or on match day itself that their tickets were invalid or did not exist.

Reports indicate that nearly two-thirds of one 80-strong tour group was denied entry to the stadium despite having paid for tickets in full.

Agencies blame SA Rugby

In communication with disappointed clients, some travel agencies claimed that failures on the part of SA Rugby were responsible for fans being left ticketless.

SA Rugby has rejected these claims as “completely untrue”, stating that the agencies sold tickets in breach of the event’s terms and conditions of sale without ever having been given access by SA Rugby or its official ticketing agent, Ticketmaster.

One agency reportedly claimed it had attempted to secure tickets through a reputable vendor but alleged that tickets had been double-sold when the process reverted to SA Rugby. However, SA Rugby maintains that no authorised access was ever granted to these third-party sellers.

Digital tickets to prevent fraud

To combat ticket fraud, SA Rugby implemented strict digital-first measures for the event. Tickets were issued as digital, encrypted assets linked to individual user accounts on the official ticketing platform.

Screenshots of tickets were not accepted for entry, and fans were repeatedly warned against using secondary marketplaces like Viagogo, where tickets are often unlawfully resold and invalid.

Social media platforms were flooded with complaints from fans who had travelled internationally only to be denied entry to one of rugby’s most anticipated fixtures.

SA Rugby confirmed it has made contact with affected fans to address the situation while pursuing legal redress through its attorneys.

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