World Cup TIckets in High Demand

Demand for the tickets for next year's Rugby World Cup in England saw queues on the online ticket system when the sales window opened on Friday morning.

England Rugby 2015 said the computer system was working well but that demand was "high" - and pointed out that fans could wait to submit their application because distribution will be via ballot rather than on a first-come-first-served basis.

Joanna Manning-Cooper, communications director of England Rugby 2015, also warned supporters not to buy tickets from unauthorised secondary websites which are already claiming to have tickets to sell and advertising them for more than 10 times the face value.

One site offered a final ticket for £8,870 - the most expensive official price is £715.

She told Press Association Sport: "The site is working very well, there is high demand this morning and there is a queue.

"Supporters should remember there is no advantage in getting an application in this morning, they can come back at any time during the next 17 days. The site is working but they do not need to sit in a queue."

Over-subscribed games will be decided via a ballot after the sales window shuts on September 29.

Prices for adults range from £15 for low-profile group games up to £715 for the best seats at the final at Twickenham. The cheapest adult ticket to watch an England group game at Twickenham will be £75, and £50 for their match against a play-off winner in Manchester.

The cheapest seats for Wales and Ireland matches are £50, but Scotland fans will only have to pay £20 for the category D tickets against Japan and the USA. Tickets for children start ay £7.

Fans have been warned they can be refused entry if they buy them from unlicensed sources under the organisers' terms and conditions.

The ticket agency Ticketmaster has brought in measures to combat secondary agencies using sophisticated software to flood their website with ticket applications for high-demand games.

Manning-Cooper added: "Our message is 'please buy through official channels'. That's the best way to make sure you are buying a legitimate ticket and can go to the Rugby World Cup next year.