Test: Australia vs Tonga

Kangaroos v Tonga Test match at Mount Smart Stadium on track to sell out
Phil Rothfield, The Sunday Telegraph
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/

AUSTRALIA’S rugby league Test match against emerging international giants Tonga in Auckland next month has become a box office smash hit.

The game at Mount Smart Stadium will be the first sellout of a Kangaroos Test match in recent memory with as many as 25,000 tickets already sold for the game on October 20.

The phenomenal interest is almost three times that of the Test match against the Kiwis at the same venue the weekend before which has sold only 9000 seats. Mount Smart Stadium holds 28,000.

No one is more delighted than Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga who has campaigned hard throughout the season to make the Test match happen.

“This is what international rugby league is all about,” Meninga said. “Putting on Test matches that can sell out and create a wonderful atmosphere. It will be a great day for the international game.”

The New Zealand Rugby League was always concerned about the impact of the Kangaroos playing Tonga on their own sales.

They are struggling financially because the promoter of their mid-year Test in Denver failed to pay the $300,000 that was promised. New Zealand chief executive Greg Peters confirmed only 9000 tickets had been sold.

“We’re rebuilding a brand that took a bit of a hit last year,” Peters said. “We’ve lost players who historically would have been playing for the Kiwis.""

“That’s good for the international game but makes our job harder. This is the first time we’ve played against Australia in Auckland since 2012 so it should have plenty of appeal.”