Tickets still up for grabs for Boks v Pumas at Ellis Park: 'We are hoping for the 50 000-mark'

South Africa's final home Test before the World Cup when they play Argentina at Ellis Park on Saturday will struggle to be sold out by the time the game kicks off at 17:00.

Ellis Park's managing director, Pieter Burger, told News24 on Wednesday that they had sold just over 44 000 and they're aiming for at least 50 000 by Saturday.

Ellis Park, which hosted the 1995 Rugby World Cup final, has a capacity of just over 62 000.

It is a ground where the Boks, with the exception of New Zealand, last lost a Test against any other opposition in 2001, to France.

The ground was packed for last year's 35-23 loss to New Zealand, but Argentina, who have attracted good crowds wherever they've played in South Africa, don't have Australia's or New Zealand's pulling power.

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Last year's Kings Park Test attracted just under 46 000 at the 52 000-seater Durban-based venue.

Post Covid-19 lockdown regulations, Springbok games have been well attended, with the Wales Tests in Pretoria, Bloemfontein and Cape Town all selling out, along with the All Blacks Tests in Mbombela and Johannesburg.

The same was applicable to the Australia Test at Loftus Versfeld earlier this month, clearly signifying the increased appetite for Test match rugby.

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15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff

Substitutes: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Trevor Nyakane,