Tour director Lourens Oberholzer has cautioned South Africa residents against attempting to buy tickets through second-hand platforms for any of the eight British & Irish Lions matches in South Africa in 2021.
In issuing a word of warning, Oberholzer reiterated that any ‘second-hand’ tickets would be seen as illegal and would not be recognised.
The ticket sales ballot opened in South Africa on Wednesday, 2 September and closes at 23:59pm on Wednesday, 16 September. South African residents have to use the official online platform: www.lionstour2021.co.za
There has been an overwhelming response from South African residents, with more than 200,000 visitors to the official South African online platform.
‘South African rugby supporters have been brilliant in how they have embraced the registration and ballot system. The system is the fairest in determining ticket allocation and it is also designed to protect everyone who makes a ticket purchase request,’ said Oberholzer.
‘I can’t emphasise it enough that people must be cautious against dealing with any platform outside the official online site. We are aware of secondary tickets systems like Viagogo, who are advertising tickets. These companies have no ticket inventory to sell and tickets purchased through their platform(s) will not be valid and therefore not accepted at the gate. People who work through secondary touts will not have valid tickets.’
The Lions, who tour South Africa once every 12 years, will play the Stormers at the Cape Town Stadium on 3 July and the tour’s eighth and final match will be the third Test against the Springboks at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg.
The Lions last visited South Africa in 2009. The world champion Springboks won the series 2-1.
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