Babies need a ticket for the Rugby World Cup Now!

[jonthebassmon01]

So we've just found out that our baby who isn't born until March will need a ticket to accompany us to the Rugby World Cup matches that we have bought for September.

It's the Olympics all over again, anyone else think this sucks!

[Eastpoint]

Isn't that to do with safety & stadium capacity?

[BackforGood]

Why on earth would anyone think a World Cup Rugby match was a good place to take a 6 month old baby ??? Have you ever had a 6 month old baby ?

[jonthebassmon01]

Hi Backforgood

Yes in fact I have a child who will be three years old when the Rugby World Cup comes around. He went to a rugby match when he was a little one too.

We descided that we would remove our children's cotton wool shells early and he has been to all sorts of exciting things.

I'm sure a 6 month old who will be safely strapped to me in a sling will be absolutely fine safe and sound at a rugby match. Have you ever been to a rugby match? The crowd are VERY different to football matches.

[jonthebassmon01]

Maki79 They've told me you have to buy a whole new ticket. However you can't buy one single child ticket without an adult ticket, so you will either have to buy one extra adult and one child or just one adult ticket. It gets better though. If the match is sold out or there are no tickets left in the same price bracket to your original tickets then you're screwed.

[AggressiveBunting]

See 8 million previous threads re Olympics.

[oneowlgirl]

The Rugby World Cup tickets are a complete nightmare - we couldn't buy tickets for a family of 5! We did get them in the end buying 2 & 3 but obviously means they're not directly beside each other! The whole thing is a farce.

Hope you get sorted Op.

[AggressiveBunting]

There is massive demand for the seats. It is sold out. I dont think that makes it a farce.

[oneowlgirl]

How they've organised it is a complete farce - we put our names down for loads of tickets, didn't get any & then the ones we put our names down for went on general sale, so how does that work?? Plus not being able to buy tickets for our family - again, what's that about??

[jonthebassmon01]

I don't mind buying an extra child ticket for my child when he or she arrives, but I can't. Why can't England2015 sell me a newborn ticket if they really insist on "everyone must have a ticket". One newborn ticket won't be a problem for the stadium, they're not taking up a seat or using any of the facilities. Odd

[chipsandpeas]

im thinking it will be health and safety - the stadiums will have a maximum capacity and letting babies in with no tickets may take them over that so even tho a seat wont be taken up by a baby it will still take a number

[magpieginglebells]

It's a capacity thing. If everyone brought a newborn (unlikely but possible) and there was an incident there wouldn't be enough first aiders, exits etc.

[futuredad]

Although the RFU are quite good about "babes in arms" not needing their own ticket, the ticketing for RWC2015 is being run independently and with a need to cover a minimum income level - hence a lot of the tickets being more expensive (i.e. most expensive Eng v Aus ticket being more than three times the equivalent match last November).

We took our then 11-week old DD to the match against New Zealand in November and she was fine (slept most of the match) but I think she'd probably find it quite frustrating now - at 5 months - as she's far more active.

[jonthebassmon01]

I have no problem with England2015 making enough money, but how is someone supposed to buy a ticket for someone that doesn't exist yet, or is even a twinkle in their parents eye? As I said, I would happily pay some additional money to get our (currently) unborn child into the matches, but alas its a blanket ban, so what do we do, not go now?

[AggressiveBunting]

Well look on the bright side- you've got 8 mths to find a babysitter.

[jonthebassmon01]

Yeah aggressivebunting that really helps. Thank you for all of your positive comments here....

[YonicSleighdriver]

It's the Olympics all over again for the same reasons.

It sucks you can't "add on" a child ticket though.

[Mummymiley]

I know this is an old post but I wonder if you got anywhere with this?

I am in the same situation, however, my son is only 4 weeks old so when we bought our tickets last year I wasn't even pregnant!!!! We have 2 older boys too so had planned on going to some small family friendly matches and going as the whole family. As I am breastfeeding I clearly cannot leave my newborn at home. My husband has emailed the rugby World Cup ticket people and they have told us baby has to have a ticket even though we cannot even buy one now!!!

I want to take this further if I can like someone did for the Olympics as it will impact my right to family time as we either need to leave one of the other children at home or I don't go as I will need to be there for baby.

Before anyone says why would I want to take a baby!!! It's about being there as a family. We are huge rugby supporters and it's about being there!!! We took our 7 week old to the Olympics!!! We have 2 tickets to the England vs Australia match which I won't be going to as I don't think this will be family friendly so I am already missing out!

[jonthebassmon01]

Hi Mummymiley.

Unfortunately every time I spoke to England2015 I was presented with the answer "our T&Cs clearly state, blah blah blah" Very computer says no!!!

I even tried sharing my story on social media and was met with lots of trolling comments circa BackforGood's comments above.

Clearly everyone thinks that because I don't assume my child will be the victim of crime at the Rugby World Cup makes me a shocking parent.

So I simply plan on turning up as usual and just walking in with her strapped to my back.

The last time I went to Twickenham the turnstiles were automatic and I simply had my ticket scanned by the faceless scanning machine and walked on in.

This time round I plan to do exactly the same thing.

The number of people I saw at the 6 nations who had newborns in slings was loads. So I'm willing to the bet ticketing staff who will be on some crappy minimum wage job won't really give a damn that I have a baby strapped to my back. I'm banking on them being far more bothered by the pissed up twats causing a commotion than my little baby daughter dribbling and sucking her thumb.

and relax

Rant over

[Mummymiley]

I'm sorry to wind you up about it again!!! lol!!

It's really made us very cross. Like you said we have had the computer says no response from them!

I'm in agreement I think we would have just tried it too but one of our games is at Wembley and I know they are likely to be jobsworths and I really don't want to end up standing outside Wembley as they don't let me in so my poor husband has to go in alone with our other 2 boys who would be destaught!!!

I'm trying to speak to someone for a bit of legal advice and see if I can take it anywhere. xx

[NotMyChashkaChai]

I thought they made this clear on their website at the application stage. I remember noticing when I applied for my tickets that babes in arms would not be allowed in without their own ticket, and whilst not all may agree with this policy I thought it was good that they were making it clear at the application stage - unlike the Olympics!

[Sootybear123]

Our tickets arrived yesterday - you'd think we would be excited, but we aren't. We are horrified to find that babes in arms require their own ticket!

Upon booking there was the option of child tickets, however nowhere was this made clear that ALL children would require a ticket rather than simply those who wanted a seat. Most other events require a ticket if you want a seat for the child but babes in arms do not require one. As our daughter would still be tiny and sat on our knee it did not seem necessary to buy her a seat. Little did we know that she had to have one, and this was not made clear.

The 2012 Olympics is a good example of this. Babes in arms under 1 year of age were allowed in with no ticket. Most rugby stadiums up and down the country allow babes in arms with no ticket. Indeed most events allow babes in arms with no ticket. Why is the RWC different? Why have this ridiculous policy?

We have a 6 month old daughter. She's breastfed so can't be left as I need to be able to feed her. Even if I was able to leave her, my Mum is volunteering at your fan zone as we live locally, so she's helping them out!

We have tickets for both Italy v Canada and Scotland v USA.

Having to buy her a ticket she won't even make use of is annoying enough, but what's even worse is that for the Italy v Canada match there are still tickets available, but we are unable to buy a child ticket by itself as the child must be sat next to a supervising adult! We won't even be using that seat, we just want to be able to buy her a ticket so she can sit on our knee! If we bought her a seat it would also mean another fan would miss out on the opportunity to go as there would be an unused seat.

It is my birthday that weekend, and we were meant to all be having an enjoyable family weekend to celebrate, but it looks now like we are going to have to miss out as this ridiculous policy prevents us going.

I'd like to see the RWC do something about this. A quick internet search comes up with many parents in the same situation. It's just not good enough.

Let's share this issue as wide as we can and get them to reverse such a stupid decision.

[jonthebassmon01]

Hi everyone

Has anyone had any luck with this yet, either taking legal advice or getting any better response from England 2015?

[Leftshoe]

I'm travelling from the other side of the world (Sydney) for RWC. Have baby twins and I've been told I need to buy tickets for them to sit on our laps. Only tickets left are £150 ones. So £300 for two babies, and since going to two games £600 ????. Absolutely ridiculous!

[Mummymiley]

Has anyone tried anywhere with this? I am still waiting on a reply from Twickenham x