The only official outlets for tickets to Springbok matches this year are Ticketpro (for the third Test against Wales, Argentina, which go on sale on Wednesday, and the Johannesburg match against New Zealand) and Computicket (for the match against New Zealand in Nelspruit).

Online “re-sellers” – masquerading under a host of brand names – do not have any official access to tickets.

“Tickets are promised, highly inflated prices are charged and when the buyer asks about delivery, all is silent,” said Jurie Roux, CEO of SA Rugby.

“There are absolutely no guarantees that the tickets will ever materialise as touts don’t have tickets. We strongly advise not to buy from online 're-sellers'. In our experience, fans will be overcharged and may never see tickets while losing their money.

“Every year we receive the same stories of bitter disappointment from fans who have gone online, searched for Test match tickets and bought from unauthorised websites who offer tickets even before they have officially gone on sale.”

Test match host venues and SA Rugby are powerless to intervene other than to warn against the scammers.

Roux said that the same advice applied for Rugby World Cup Sevens tickets (which takes place in Cape Town in September) and for the HSBC Cape Town Sevens when tickets for the December event go on sale later this year.

“People fork out ridiculous sums for tickets through these sites but have little recourse other than to pursue them legally when they fail to deliver,” said Roux. “Most people don’t go that route because of the costs and its challenges, and they end up angry and out of pocket. 

“The only way to be certain of avoiding disappointment is to buy through the official channels.”

Tickets for the remaining Springbok matches are available as follows: