For those Australians who want tickets to the biggest sporting event this year, the week of August 18th should be marked in the diary. Over 500,000 more tickets to all of the 48 Rugby World Cup 2003 matches will be available to Australians from this date.

Due to the success of the initial ticket offer last year and the growing community anticipation for Rugby World Cup 2003, the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) expects massive demand for tickets - particularly the Final. In order to cope with the demand, the sale dates have been staggered to ensure the four ticketing agents involved can manage all the ticket orders as efficiently as possible.

Different match cities will go on sale on different dates, starting from 18 August. The dates are listed as follows;

NSW, ACT and Queensland matches will be sold through Ticketek, Melbourne and Perth matches will be sold through Ticketmaster7, Adelaide via Venuetix and Launceston through Centertainment.

Tickets on sale will include those handed back to the ARU from the International Rugby Board, since the initial ticket offers, plus those not sold to date. Exact numbers of tickets available will be posted on www.rugby2003.com.au closer to August 18th when further details of hand backs are finalised.

Tickets to matches such as the Final and to Wallaby matches are expected to be snapped up in minutes. Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer for the ARU, John O’Neill said, "If you want a ticket to the Final, Opening Match or the immensely popular Australia versus Ireland match in Melbourne - the message is, be quick.

"There will be tickets available to every match but if our previous ticketing campaigns have been any indication, matches involving the Tournament big guns will go fast.

"We are encouraging all Australians who want their slice of the world's biggest sporting event this year, to not only support the Wallabies but to adopt a second team and get along to see them in the nearest match venue," he said.

Prior to the opening of the public box office on August 18th, anyone who has applied for a ticket to a Rugby World Cup 2003 match through any of the offers to date, will be offered an exclusive window between the 13th and 17th August to purchase Prime Match packages that were not sold in either of the ballots. Even those who were only partially successful or totally unsuccessful will be offered this opportunity.

People who have already purchased tickets through the offers or through the ballot will have their tickets sent out from the end of July.