Super Rugby Aotearoa: Eden Park sold out for Blues v Hurricanes clash

The blockbuster Super Rugby Aotearoa match between the Blues and Hurricanes at Eden Park has officially sold out. 

On Saturday afternoon, the Blues announced all 43,000 tickets for the Sunday's clash have been snapped up. 

"I want to recognise the mammoth job from everyone involved in being able to turn an event of this size around in less than a week," says Blues chief executive Andrew Hore. 

"This will be a special occasion that everyone will remember and a celebration of what New Zealand has achieved as a nation to get to this stage.

"It was only a few weeks ago that we were planning for a competition behind closed doors. 

"When we got the news during the week that fans could come, we always wanted to do our part in terms of ticket pricing because we know that many of our fans have been doing it hard.

"The key now is for everyone to understand that this is a huge crowd, so please leave plenty of time to get to and from the stadium because we be undertaking contact tracing. Please check the AT site for your travel information and remember to be patient."

Tickets for the contest went on sale afer Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern that New Zealand would be moving to Alert Level 1 on Monday night, meaning fans could attend sports without restrictions.

Fans at Eden Park will be in for a treat with Beauden Barrett named to make his Blues against his old side the Hurricanes.

Barrett said he is looking forward to playing in front of a big crowd after not taking the field since the All Blacks bronze medal Rugby World Cup playoff against Wales in November.

"If we get [over 35,000] that's fantastic and it's even better that we are playing afternoon rugby," Barrett said earlier in the week.  

"I think the product should be better for it as well so lets hope the lungs hang in there and the game is a competitive one." 

Super Rugby Aotearoa will be the first professional rugby union competition in the world to resume on Saturday when the Highlanders host the Chiefs at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin. 

Latest figures show that match is close to a sell out with just under 20,000 tickets purcahsed for the 22,500 seat stadium. 

Super Rugby Aotearoa: Eden Park sold out for Blues v Hurricanes clash