The Wales-South Africa clash is usually a sell-out at the stadium

Saturday's clash at the Millennium Stadium, usually a sell-out fixture, raised concerns that fans were being asked to pay too much.

Supporters could buy a �42 ticket for South Africa only if they also bought an �8 ticket for Romania or Japan.

The WRU said its tickets were the lowest priced of all the home nations.

The WRU also said that there were no complaints when it introduced its ticketing scheme in June.

As it stands, the WRU's ticketing policy does not appear to show much common sense Nick Bourne AM

Under this arrangement, fans who want to watch Wales play either South Africa or New Zealand also have to buy a ticket for one of the games against Romania or Japan.

Fans complained that additional charges on a typical �42 ticket can take the cost up to �55.

Just under 60,000 fans were at the ground, which has a capacity of 74,500 for rugby matches.

Nick Bourne said it was 'disappointing' to see empty seats at the stadium

Wales lost to the Springboks 36-38 in a game which was closely fought to the end.

WRU chief executive David Moffett said: "We are conscious that this is a working man's game in Wales but it's a matter of getting the balance between this and professional rugby and we have to get it right."

'Marvellous, passionate'

But Nick Bourne, the leader of the Conservative group in the Welsh assembly, urged First Minister Rhodri Morgan and Sports Minister Alun Pugh to raise the issue with WRU officials as a matter of urgency.

Mr Bourne said the WRU should have considered offering school children heavily discounted or free tickets to ensure the stadium was filled to capacity.

He said: "Having seen Wales' marvellous, passionate comeback against South Africa, it was disappointing to see thousands of empty seats in the stadium.

"It seems a great shame that schoolchildren throughout Wales could not have been offered tickets either free or at knockdown prices to attend the game.

"Allowing more young people to watch the national side against a team like South Africa would be good for the future of rugby in Wales.

"As it stands, the WRU's ticketing policy does not appear to show much common sense."

Millennium Stadium manager Paul Sergeant said: "It comes back to the fact that we are the lowest priced of the home nations.

"We will review our business as we always do - not for the New Zealand game - but we will look at it again."

We asked for your views, the following is a selection of replies received:

Time we had Family Tickets at family prices
Jeff Mayo, Mountain Ash

I think the policy is unfair and misguided. As an exile, living some hours away from Cardiff,I could only afford the time, let alone the money for occasional matches. Cearly I want to see the strongest opposition. If I bought tickets for Japan or Romania I would not be able to go, and as well as costing me more money, it would deny somebody else the chance of that ticket. If the tickets were available without strings, there would have been a full house on Saturday.
Kevin Dyer, Barton-upon-HumberR, England

The ticket policy should be more like the football. I have a family and it would cost me more than �120 for the game against SA. The WRU should wake up and get realalistic
Mathew James, Cardiff

Forcing the sale of extra match tickets will not make people go to see them, although they have been paid for, people will just not go. Time the WRU started looking at being a part of the whole of Wales instead of being all of south Wales only.
Robbie, Carmarthen

How does the WRU expect the thrill of a live international game to be passed down from Father to son when the entrance charges are so high. As well as alienating the current generation of supporters the WRU risk losing the future ones as well
Derek Jones, Swansea. Wales

The autumn internationals are put on for one reason only anyway - to make extra cash for the Unions. As such, the autumn international tickets should be half the price of a six nations ticket. The WRU is greedy enough then when they are guaranteed sell out crowds. I also like the idea of for the autumn games of buy one - get one free. Sounds like good marketing to me. Either way, the 'PR' boffins need to listen to the public and not the WRU executive.
Alan Oliver, Hamilton, Bermuda

Tear out the seats on the lower level and reduce the price for standing only accordingly , it will bring back the atmosphere and singing !
chris parry, sydney,australia

Four of us wanted to go down for a weekend for the Boks game and we also wanted to take four New Zealanders and two of us down for that game. Thanks to the WRUs Policies we cannot do so. For future Wales games we will be going down for the weekends, but watch the game in a pub or club. After the way the Celtic Warriors was handled and now this, its about time the clubs got some of the WRU committee members voted off,to see how they would manage without their free tickets.
Slenn, Notts

75,000 passionate supporters voices are better than 55,000,fairweather or not.I thought the dinosaurs had left the WRU ?
Mark Bevan, Neath ,Wales

The WRU don't seem to have their facts right about being the lowest priced of the home nations! A quick check on the SRU website will reveal that the tickets for Scotland vs SA match are far cheaper than for the Wales game - and easier to get hold of (no conditions such as having to buy another ticket first).
Simon, London, UK

My two children play rugby for our local team and we would love to take them to an international. I may not be a Welsh supporter, but those prices would prohibit attendance by our family.
Elaine Marshman, Ardrossan, Scotland

I am a Welsh cabbie and the majority of rugby fans i pickup seem to think that the WRU are trying to rip people off! General public would rather watch it at home or in their local than pay the rates and have the unreasonable terms that the WRU laydown! If the WRU want the stadium full then common sense is reduce the rates - �10 per game! Watch the stadium fill up. Regards.
Richard, South Wales

One fifth of the fans were missing on Saturday. Is it coincidence that one fifth of the original regional teams are missing....strange that???????
Celtic Warrior, Bridgend

What a rip off. The WRU officials should hang their heads in shame. Not everyone earns a huge wage like the WRU staff who make such policies. We were offered tickets but at �50 each. That's a weeks worth of food!!!! They need to get back to the real world, and quickly. Furthermore,why not bring the Romania and Japan matches to Wrecsam. Two more matches with a vast number of empty seats at the Millenium Stadium.
Barry Davies, Llanberis

I am a South African who has lived in Wales for over eight years in the past. I love Welsh rugby but have always been bemused by the clowns who appear to run the show. The empty seats are just the tip of the iceburg that has so compromised Wales in recent years.
Michael Birbeck, Cape Town/Cardiff & London

Get real boys - you want a multi-million pound stadium that's arguably one of the finest of its kind in the world and you have to pay these prices to get in. Its called living in a capitalist society - pay up or don't go!
Those who didn't want to pay did not go on Saturday - guess how many empty seats there will be when England visit!?
Dai Davies, Swansea

The number of empty seats was an embarrassment
Matt, Neath, Wales

One region is told its services are no longer required and all protests by fans are ignored or ridiculed. Fans are offered a like it or lump it approach to ticket bundling and are criticised by the WRU and their apologists for not 'buying in'. The previously well regarded Welsh Captain then feels the need to accuse any who choose not to be mugged by the WRU of being 'fairweather fans'. And all the time people are scratching their heads as to why there were empty spaces. Note to those who make these plans: We are not obliged to support any actions of the WRU. We WERE fans. YOU made us consumers. DO NOT then chastise us for voting with our wallets.
Chris Hollett, Bridgend, UK

Just become a member of a Welsh rugby club and order tickets through that club - all clubs were offered as many tickets as they wanted for the autumn internationals and you wouldn't have had to buy a ticket for the Romania and Japan games if you didn't want to. Not only that, you'd be supporting Welsh rugby at grass roots level at the same time.
Gary Williams, Welshpool, Wales

Perhaps the WRU should take a leaf out of the supermarkets sales ploy and buy one get one free, Im sure it would work and go down well if the free ticket was for children then the adults would want to go with the whole family as it would be more affordable.
Russell Owens, Barry

No wonder the tickets are so expensive; I went to the game with my son and daughter. Did we really want three programmes at �6 each and three CDs at �14 each included with the price of our tickets? David Owen, Llantrisant

Organisers of international sports events (F1, rallying and now rugby) appear to have taken the view that they can increase their return by raising prices to a "exclusive" level and it will only be falling crowd level which will change this. I feel sorry for families on small incomes who cannot ever afford to now attend such events
Richard S, cardiff, wales

Why not consider the true supporter, who has to pay, for Celtic League, European matches, as well as this match, with more to come. It does not make sense to expect supporters to have available money for excessive priced tickets,for a friendly. Remember not everyone lives in cardiff, people have to travel.
M C Pitson, Swansea

The pricing policy is quite franky ridiculous and takes no account of people's ability to attend matches. There is no way if you are a North-Wales or England based fan that you could afford to attend two matches based on travel costs alone. So to add �8 on top for the match you want to see is just asking for a "stealth tax"! As for fair weather fans...get real! There are thousands of real fans out there who have watched (as I have) their clubs in all weathers and all locations (home and away) and for Gareth Thomas to suggest that because they didn't turn up on Saturday they are only "fair weather" fans is, quite frankly, an insult that will not be easily forgotten.
stephen jones, Pontypridd

I believe that the main reason for 19,000 unsold tickets is because top level rugby is limited to so small an area ie. the disenfranchisment of the majority of the population of Wales
Steve Young, Ebbw Vale

No wonder the tickets are so expensive; I went to the game with my son and daughter. Did we really want three programmes at �6 each and three CDs at �14 each included with the price of our tickets? I don't think so!
David Owen, Llantrisant

It is a disgrace - they should have more cheap tickets available for top games as rarely have I seen a ticket priced less than �42, and they should offer tickets half price for the games against teams such as Japan. It is much better to have a full stadium than 20,000 seats less and bear in mind there were quite a few south africans there on saturday. I have numerous friends who are not willing to pay more than �30
anthony williams, maesycwmmer - mid glam

Loyal supporters and the source of many players have been alienated from the game. It's not a price issue, it's more serious than that! Dai Young, Cardiff

The WRU are missing the point. I will be working during the Romania game so why should I buy a ticket for it? They are removing the supporters right to choose what games they want to see. Perhaps some of the committee men should spend some time on planet earth with the rest of us and get a reality check.
Wales is not a wealthy country nor were the lot of us born yesterday. I hope they have a rethink on ticketing policy, otherwise they'll be sitting in their free seats eating their prawn sandwiches in an empty ground. Welsh rugby fans voted with their feet on Saturday. Could somebody in the WRU wake up long enough to take note?
Steve Belcher, Bristol, England

As a NZ'er I was intending on taking my wife to her first All Blacks game in Cardiff, until the ticketing prices were released. �50 per person is crazy, especially considering I could get a ticket for France vs NZ in Paris for 22 Euros. Next year I will be going to europe to watch the All Blacks!
T Judd, Oxford

Perhaps the WRU should take a lesson from the organisers of the tri-nations tournament in rugby league, which is playing to full houses. Offers include buying a final ticket at a �10 reduction if you see any other in the tournament, buy 10 tickets and pay only for 9,and start as low as �5 for children. Plus ordering is very simple! Both codes are professional, but which one is focussing on growing its future fan base? Perhaps the WRU should reconsider.
Russell Nash, Hertfordshire, england

Do Moffett and the WRU honestly think they can take first class rugby from the valleys and still get their support? Loyal supporters and the source of many players have been alienated from the game. It's not a price issue, it's more serious than that!
Dai Young, Cardiff

Ticket problem solved - take out lower tier seats and replace with a terrace. �10 tickets, real fans and a return of the singing.
Andy Leitch, Cowbridge

The WRU ticket policy has always been grossly unfair to the real fans. I was a member of Neath rugby club for 10 years and only got an international ticket once. Now, if I was a business man, then that would be a different matter altogether.
Jeff Miljkovic-Brake, London, UK

Maybe when booking, you should put on a NZ accent ... surely they wouldn't force a New Zealander to go and watch Wales when their team isn't even playing ??!! Then again ... WRU ... Hmmm ...
Martin Davies, Cardiff

As a fervent supporter who takes a car load to Cardiff we were unable to go this time. Two Saturdays would mean 1100 miles of driving and more expense. Shame really.
David Jones, Colchester, England

Will people attend the other game or just throw the second ticket in the bin? The second game could still be poorly attended.
Michael, Lytham

I agree with what the WRU is saying - if you want to support Wales, then you should do so at the smaller games as well as the bigger ones. David Hazelden, Brecon, Powys

�55 to see any kind of sport live is extortionate. It limits the possibility of attending to a lucky minority. For a father to attend with his sons is a financial impossibility for many, strangling the roots of the sport. The same applies to football.
Darren, Bath, UK

The WRU have made one of the most significant mistakes possible. They have succeeded in enfuriating and alienating the paying public. 20,000 empty seats sends a clear message to WRU to change their policy.
Martin Downes, Loughor, Swansea

I was willing to buy tickets for Saturdays game, but �42 (and �8 for the Romania game) is crazy. If the WRU want to fill the stadium against small teams they should drop the prices or stop inviting the small teams over. We watched it in a pub and we'll continue to do that until the WRU change their policy.
Jason Hooper, Cardiff

Everybody (including our rugby-biased media) seems to be deliberately avoiding one very important point. Is it not possible that people just weren't interested in going in the first place?
Perhaps the Western Mail, the BBC and the WRU should face up to the fact that rugby doesn't have the following in Wales that they like to think it has. There were over 8,000 down the Vetch on an international rugby day - I think that says it all.
Matthew Hughes, Caerfyrddin, Cymru

I think the marketing policy is a disgrace,i was there on Saturday and even though Wales played well, how can you jistify making a family of four buy tickets for an extra game at a cost of �32? As much as it is a shame to see the ground not full,perhaps it might get the message across to moffett and the WRU that their policy is ridiculous and not supported and is only going to turn the fans further away from the WRU
rob, newport

I can understand the WRU view of trying to get people in to see the 'lesser' games but surely lower prices and not forcing customers to have to buy tickets is the answer, what about the many Welsh fans that work regular shift patterns? Many of them simply can't make two games, so I believe it would have been more prudent to offer tickets at more affordable prices.
Tony Fisher, Pontypridd, Wales

They shouldn't have forced the Welsh public to buy a ticket for the games against the smaller teams - i.e Japan and Romania. In fact - they shouldn't really bother playing those games at the stadium - what ever happened to the Racecource or Stradey, Rodney Parade or even the Arms Park to play those games?
Steff Thomas, Aberystwyth

I do not think this is a very effective way of selling tickets and this was proved on Saturday. People are put off by the fact that you have to buy 4 in one go and cannot buy individual tickets.
Greg, Cwmbran

I agree with what the WRU is saying - if you want to support Wales, then you should do so at the smaller games as well as the bigger ones. But perhaps they could have 'bundled' the tickets (i.e. �50 for 2 games), instead of saying that we can't go to one unless we go to another first. I know it's saying basically the same thing, but it sounds less of a threat that way.
David Hazelden, Brecon, Powys

I go to watch Wales play football and the ground is always full. Why? Because the ticket prices encourage families and kids to go. It just seems crazy to have empty seats when a little flexibility would see them all filled - why not consider what the football does - sell a reasonably priced series of tickets?
Tony , Cardiff

�42 to watch a rugby match is totally ridiculous and then on top of that an extra �8. I'd watch a local team for nothing, better still rugby league
John Dean, Mansfield, England

I thought Wales played like true professionals last Saturday, it's just a shame that the WRU isn't run the same way! Stephen Oram, Oxford, England

Gareth Thomas (Welsh captain) put it best, stating he'd rather play in front of 55,000 real fans, than 75,000 "Fair Weather" fans.
I bought two tickets for each game at a total cost of �222.80. If we play the next three with the passion that we had in the second half I think i will have got a real bargain !
Mark Anthony, Barry, South Wales

I think the policy is wrong, you have to buy a ticket to Japan or Romania before you can apply for tickets to RSA or NZ. You don't know if there are tickets available for NZ or SA, or where they are. The WRU is asking for an act of faith by us to buy a ticket for Japan, in the hope we can get a good ticket for NZ. Regretfully not for me I'm afraid.
Tony Tucker, Chepstow, Gwent

Maybe the �8 could be discounted against the bigger ticket price if both are bought. Otherwise �42 is a bit much. Myself and some friends would have gone but the train times meant that we would have no time in Cardiff afterwards unless we stayed overnight. This as much as ticket price should be addressed.
Bob Blainey, WSM UK

I'm a Welshman living in England so am unable to attend many of the matches. I too was disappointed by the turn out for the South Africa match, but the WRU have to realise that the Welsh public are sick and tired of the way they operate. They have to expect a backlash after the Celtic Warriors episode.
Also if international football matches can be so much cheaper, how can they justify the prices they are asking. Have they ever considered the fact that not everyone can make two games? I thought Wales played like true professionals last Saturday, it's just a shame that the WRU isn't run the same way!
Stephen Oram, Oxford, England

The first law of mass marketing is to make it easy for punters to buy Gareth, London

I'm all for it. OK, so I am not in a position to tale the WRU up on this policy, but I give them my whole-hearted support and so should every other true Welsh rugby fan.
Gareth James, Tampere, Finland

I had the chance to watch Wales v Romania in the stadium two years ago and it was a great spectacle and for only �16 from memory. I can't understand how the WRU charge �42 for one ticket and make people buy a second ticket for �8 when you can go and watch a Wales international football match for as little as �20. Everyone knows that the WRU are in financial trouble and we can now see why they can not get themselves out of it with hair brained schemes which are not at all practical.
Mark Dellar, cardiff (ex Aussie)

The first law of mass marketing is to make it easy for punters to buy. The marketing of tickets was a mess, and that explains the empty stadium. Not lack of support. I fear a similar outcome for the NZ game. The Japan/ Romania games should be played at one of the club grounds if they are so worried about supporter turn-out. The press talking about lack of support missed the point completely. Getting hold of a ticket was made unnecessarily hard.
Gareth, London, UK

I would have loved to have supported Wales at the stadium on Saturday but chose not to out of protest. When I go to a supermarket, I'm not asked to purchase a tin of tuna before being allowed to buy the loaf of bread which I originally wanted to purchase. Any other business would go bankrupt using this selling technique. It's a cheek.
Gary Edwards, London

Unfair. Not really, but with the empty seats it doesn't appear that effective either.
Gareth, UK

A full stadium would have added to an already incredible atmosphere and might have helped get Wales the win Gareth Price, Caerphilly

I can see why they did it. Attendances for games such as Romania and Japan are bound to be quite low, despite the low cost of the tickets. Even when they played at Wrexham's Racecourse ground last time, the attendance was only around 6,000 which is terrible!
I wouldn't think the ticketing policy would be so bad if all of the games were played on Saturdays. I for one would have gladly travelled down to Cardiff for both the Romania and Japan games, but work prevents me from doing that! And I would assume that this problem would hit many people, so "forcing" them to buy tickets if they wanted to see one of the big matches is wrong.
Gareth Hill, Wrexham

Last Saturday's game may well have been the last game I attend. Although I have been saying this for the last year or so, I am really feeling more and more ripped off by the WRU. My kids want to see teams like South Africa and New Zealand but it's just too expensive to buy tickets for the Friday night games as well. I've had to buy tickets for a game I may be unable to attend - it's ridiculous and nearly 20,000 empty seats on Saturday.
Paul Morris, Llangynidr, Powys

For north Wales fans, getting to Cardiff once a week is bad enough without being forced into going twice in six days. Yet another snub to fans in the north, maybe some members of the WRU SHOULD TRY THE JOURNEY ONCE IN A WHILE.
david eccleston, wrexham

We went to see Scotland play at Murrayfield on Saturday. Our tickets were �35 each, and for every adult ticket you could claim a free child's place. It wasnt a sell out, but there was a good crowd and loads of children there. Fab.
Caroline B, Edinburgh

I think it is very unjust to expect north walians to come down on a Friday night to ensure a ticket for one of the big two games Gwynne Jones, Rhuthun

I am a born and raised South African and have lived in Wales for five years. I had no problem with the reasoning behind the ticketing policy, but having purchased three tickets for the Springbok game, I had to buy three more for the Romania game which I won't be able to go to anyway. It ended up costing me over �160 but the day was well worth it.
It was however, very disappointing to see so many empty seats for what turned out to be the best match I've ever been to. A full stadium would have added to an already incredible atmosphere and might have helped get Wales the win.
Gareth Price, Caerphilly

Perhaps the WRU should look at it another way - if they reduced ticket prices for all matches, they would fill the stadium every time and not just on visits of the big teams and then make a loss on every other game
Robert Reed, Swansea, Wales

These matches were the only chance that my wife, daughter and myself could see a match. We only have limited funds and therefore wanted to see New Zealand. Due to the closed shop policy forcing us into buying tickets for two games thus twice the expense we will not have the privilage to see the All Blacks. Thanks Mr Moffett, having been a Welsh rugby fan for longer than you I hope you enjoy the corporate hospitality,and no atmosphere. That is all you will have left soon.
Martin Bampfield, Aberdare

What a con!! I have had to buy a ticket for the Japan game in order to see the NZ game, I can't get to the Japan game and didn't particularly want to anyway. It's blackmail by the WRU to keep their profits up!
Richard Mackin, Cardiff

The WRU have been getting the policy wrong for years - cramming spectators behind the goal when the rest of the stadium is empty - fans like me who watch regional rugby prefer to watch Welsh games in the pub
Colin Hill, Cardiff

I think it is very unjust to expect north walians to come down on a Friday night to ensure a ticket for one of the big two games. I thougt the game was to be promoted throughout the country now we have regional rugby. One game could have been in Wrexham apart from this absurd ticketing policy
Gwynne Jones, Rhuthun

The professional game has killed off the dedicated supporter at games. We are now more often found in a pub watching the game while the businessmen drink in the ground and ignore the game K Brown, Fleet, UK

I must admit the ticketing put me off going to the game, as well as being too expensive I wasn't able to get to the other games.
I understand that the WRU have to turn a profit but concessions e.g. half price to under 16s or family tickets 2 adults and 2 children for �100 would have sold out the stadium and probably left them with the same revenue - so everyone wins!
Paul Jones, Abertawe

Surely it would be better to lower the price and encourage people to attend, than charge �42 and not fill the stadium. It would also be an idea to encourage youngsters to attend and sell off empty seats at a bargain price, thereby encouraging young interest in the game. It would be better to try and salvage eanything from unsold tickets than leave them empty - there's no sense in the WRU/Millennium Stadium policy.
Dean Baker, Swansea

Ticket prices are high enough as it is. Forcing people to buy tickets for an additional game that they may not be able to attend is ludicrous. If the WRU want to fill the ground then they should do more to arrange fixtures against top quality teams. Play minor sides at a different location, one that suits projected attendances.
Wayne Parfitt, Texas, USA

It's not just the WRU. A ticket for any international game in the UK is now beyond the pocket of many fans. The games I have attended recently have been full of people on corporate tickets who know nothing about the game and are only there for the free drinks. The professional game has killed off the dedicated supporter at games. We are now more often found in a pub watching the game while the businessmen drink in the ground and ignore the game.
K Brown, Fleet UK

This works out at �25 per game to see the Welsh team play. �25 to see arguably the best game of the season so far! Also isn't it better for the Welsh team to play in front of "just" 55,000 people twice rather than 72,500 for the 'big' teams and then 25,000 against the minnows.
Pete Thomas, Cardiff, Wales