Springboks-All Blacks Ticket Scandal Grows Into R48m Claim Against Supplier
- Hospitality agency Leisure Connexion issued an R48m demand against a named third-party supplier linked to multiple undelivered sporting event tickets
- The dispute extends well beyond the sold-out Springboks-All Blacks Cape Town Test, covering events including Wimbledon, the Masters and the Fifa World Cup
- The accused supplier has denied wrongdoing and claims he is owed money by Leisure Connexion's managing director
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Hospitality agency Leisure Connexion has escalated its legal action against a named third-party supplier, demanding repayment of more than R48-million over tickets that were never delivered for a range of major sporting events, including the sold-out Springboks-All Blacks second Test in Cape Town on 29 August 2026.
In a report by the Daily Maverick, Jurgens Bekker Attorneys, acting on behalf of Leisure Connexion and its managing director Adelbert Retief, sent a letter to affected companies on 28 September identifying Adriaan Pieterse as the key supplier in the chain. The firm threatened both civil and criminal action if the funds were not recovered.
The letter describes Pieterse as the next link in the supply chain, noting that Leisure Connexion had previously sourced tickets through him without incident. Pieterse was given until 25 September to comply with an earlier demand issued on 18 September, but repayment was not forthcoming.
According to the correspondence, another individual, Dennis Bay, purportedly linked to New Zealand Rugby, is alleged to be the person from whom Pieterse sourced the tickets. However, the attorneys explicitly stated they could not verify that claim. Pieterse himself said he was unaware of anyone by that name.
The R48,474,092.35 demand covers far more than the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series. Leisure Connexion says it paid Pieterse for tickets to multiple events across 2025 and 2026, including three additional Springbok Tests, the Masters Golf at Augusta National, the Fifa World Cup, the Nations Cup, the Uefa Champions League and Wimbledon.
The breakdown includes roughly R27-million for tickets, nearly R8-million in damages from non-delivery and more than R17-million tied specifically to Wimbledon. Leisure Connexion says it received approximately R3.7-million worth of tickets from Pieterse.
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Pieterse Disputes the Claims
In emailed responses to Daily Maverick, Pieterse rejected both the characterisation of his role and the R48-million figure, saying the amount "substantially overstates what is supported by underlying transactions and records."
He maintained that his arrangements were directly with Retief, not with Leisure Connexion's clients, and that a significant number of tickets were delivered in line with their agreement. On the Cape Town Test specifically, Pieterse said no confirmed order was placed with him and that Retief had refused to pay upfront, contrary to their established terms.
Pieterse added that his own reconciliation shows a balance owed to him by Retief, a claim his legal representative has already formally raised.
Saru Cleared, Agencies Retract Allegations
The South African Rugby Union (Saru), which faced early accusations of double-selling tickets or technical failures, firmly denied any wrongdoing. Saru subsequently reported Leisure Connexion, SportPro, Steadfast Africa and Resolute Sport to the South African Police Service for alleged breaches of ticketing terms and conditions.
A Saru spokesperson confirmed that the implicated agencies had since retracted their allegations against the federation, and advised supporters that the official Springboks app remains the only authorised and protected ticketing platform.
Springboks tickets at Twickenham sold out
Briefly News previously reported that the demand for Springbok tickets at Twickenham has reportedly outpaced those of host nation England for the Nations Championship finals weekend
The world champion Boks are top of the southern hemisphere table at the halfway point of the inaugural competition
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Source: Briefly News
