Smaller Crowds, Paying More

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30846, 3 September 1965, Page 20

Smaller Crowds, Paying More

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, September 1. From the 18 matches played the Springboks have drawn a total attendance of 493,321 spectators, who have paid £236,527.

These figures were released by the New Zealand Rugby Union today. The biggest crowd to watch the tourists so far was at Eden Park for the match against Auckland, where 46,204 paid £25,090. Discounting the fifth match of this year’s tour, the fixture against the New Zealand Juniors at Christchurch, the 1965 Springboks are lagging behind the 1956 team attendance figures. From a comparable 17 matches in 1956 the total attendance was 468,121, against 457,321 this year. Crate takings this season, however, are way ahead of the 1956 total. From 17 matches in 1956 £154,800 was taken at the turnstiles. This year’s total is £224,489. The following is a break-

down of comparative crowds and gates. The figures given first are for the current tour, and those in brackets for 1956: Poverty Bay-East Coast, 12,911, £6277 (12,000, £37o4);Wellington, 38,430, £20,418 (40,000, £11,218); Manawatu-Horowhenua, 20,075, £9755 (18,000, £7573); Otago, 20,382, £9752 (17,000, £6650). New Zealand Juniors, 36,000, £12,038 (no match, 1956); Taranaki, 37,100, £13,800 (20,000, £6441); Southland, 21,370, £7099 , (21,000, £6950); Canterbury, 39,000, £16,025 (45,000, £13,805); West Coast-Buller, 5991, £1576 (5150, £1517); Wellington test, . 46,290, £34,340 (47,000, £19,294). Wanganui-King Country, 16,656, £4959 (16,195, £4079); Waikato, 29,540, £12,320 <31,825, £8911); Northland. 20,196, £5741 (18,550, £5010); Auckland, 46,204, £25,090 . (51,870, £14,937). Marlborough, 9000, £2580 (10,264, £3033); Dunedin test, 34,500, £22,610 (39,650, £15,184); South Canterbury, 17,158, £5112 (14,759, £3554); Maoris, 42.518, £27,035 (59,508, £22,940).