England a big hit Down Under

14 April 2012

England arrived in Australia today to discover they are the hottest Rugby World Cup ticket in town as total sales went through the 1.8million barrier - 300,000 more than were sold during the 1999 tournament staged in Europe.

England's eagerly awaited rematch with South Africa, in Perth on 18 October, is one of the few pool matches already sold out.

When England cleared customs in the early hours of the morning in Perth, it was a very English sight that greeted them in the form of 10-year-old Oliver Hoskins, whose family are from Sussex, kitted out in a Richard the Lionheart costume made by his mother.

There was even a lively rendition of Swing Low Sweet Chariot, launched in reply to Waltzing Matilda from an Australian fan club called the Wannabes.

England captain Martin Johnson was the main target for waiting autograph hunters and he is trying to play down the huge expectation on his team as they prepare for the opening pool match with Georgia on 12 October.

"We are aware we could do something historic but I don't dream of lifting the Cup because you have to play four matches just to get into a quarter-final and one of those is South Africa!" said Johnson.

"I am not motivated by what happened in past tournaments. This is about 2003 not 1995 or 1999. We've learnt from four years ago about putting pressure on ourselves and how to handle it within the team. When it comes down to it, we have to perform on the pitch."

Despite their early arrival (00.45am), the England team visited a Perth hospital today to take part in a telethon. While the England-South Africa clash is sold out, there are still tickets available for the opening ceremony and match between holders Australia and Argentina at the Telstra Stadium in Sydney next Friday.

There are also tickets available for every pool match in Queensland, including Australia versus Romania, while only 70 per cent of seats are sold for the Wallabies' clash with Ireland in Melbourne .

Meanwhile, Samoa captain Semo Sititi has criticised hooker Trevor Leota for choosing not to join his team-mates at the World Cup and remain with club London Wasps. Leota told Standard Sport earlier this week that he could not afford to travel although he is now on standby after a London solicitor agreed to cover his wages.

"It was very disappointing and confusing to me," said Sititi. "The chance to play in the World Cup is the ultimate, so for someone to think of money before that is disappointing."

Samoa's build-up to the World Cup has been plagued by problems, with several top players pulling out and others unavailable because of club commitments.

They play Uruguay and then Georgia before tackling England and South Africa, and Sititi is adamant Samoa can continue their record of Cup upsets.

"We have to get Uruguay and Georgia out of the way first," Sititi said. "This is the pool of death, and we'll be a big part of it. We've been to the quarter-finals in the past - now we want to go one better and make it to the semis."

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England a big hit Down Under

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