Nations Championship: Several hundred tickets remain for All Blacks v Italy test in Wellington, edges towards sellout

Tuesday, 7 July 2026

What: Nations Championship week two, All Blacks v Italy. Where: Hnry Stadium, Wellington. When: 5.10pm Saturday, Sky Sport 1.

It’s been a slow burn, but New Zealand Rugby is ready to finally unfurl the ‘house full’ sign at Wellington’s Hnry Stadium just in time for Saturday’s All Blacks test against Italy.

On Monday, 650 tickets remained unsold in the 34,500-capacity stadium, a NZR spokesperson told The Post. “Get in quick,” was the advice to fans from rugby’s head office.

Assuming those remaining tickets - some priced at $180 apiece - were snapped up, it would be the Cake Tin’s third sporting sellout this year after Warriors v Dolphins in the NRL on Anzac Day, and the Hurricanes’ Super Rugby Pacific final victory over the Chiefs on June 20.

Hurricanes prop Xavier Numia played to his first Wellington full house in that decider and was excited for another, having made his test debut at a packed One NZ Stadium in the 34-32 win over France.

“It will be a cool thing and a special thing to be able to play at home… fill the Tin to the brim. Hopefully the stadium can get to that point. It would be a special occasion,” Numia said.

The All Blacks’ season-opening win over France drew an attendance of 29,152 under the Christchurch roof. Tickets sold out weeks in advance, with 5000 temporary seats installed.

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As recently as last Thursday NZR said 4000 tickets were still available in Wellington, after it moved to address sluggish sales by reducing all ticket prices by 20% for a 48-hour period, and promoting a “family bundle” for $100 - category B tickets for one adult and one child.

Children’s tickets were a hit in Wellington and made up 19% of those sold to date, NZR said, compared with 5% in Christchurch.

On the official ticketing website, the remaining available seats were in the uncovered section near halfway - either category A for $140 or premium for $180.

In terms of a rugby drawcard, Italy - the world’s 10th-ranked side - are well below France or Ireland, who the All Blacks host at Auckland’s Eden Park on Saturday, July 18.

Italy opened their Nations Championship with a 27-10 loss to Japan in Tokyo, and will play just their fourth test against the All Blacks in New Zealand. They opened the 1987 World Cup with a 70-6 loss to the hosts in Auckland; then suffered defeats by 64-10 in Hamilton in 2002 and 27-6 in Christchurch in 2009.

Last year the All Blacks played two tests in Wellington against France and South Africa, both sellouts, with the latter a record 43-10 defeat to the Springboks.

With a tour of South Africa the headline act this year, the All Blacks play just four home tests. After putting their 32-year unbeaten record at Eden Park on the line against Ireland, the All Blacks return there on October 10 for the Bledisloe Cup opener against the Wallabies.

Rain is forecast for much of this week in Wellington, but MetService predicts Saturday will be clear but cold, with a maximum temperature of 9C. The match kicks off at 5.10pm to accommodate broadcasting schedules for back to back matches in Australia, with Wallabies v France starting at 7.40pm (NZT) and Japan v Ireland at 10.10pm.

The All Blacks based themselves in Auckland this week and don’t hit the capital until Thursday, where coach Dave Rennie will announce his team at 4pm.