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Wales' historic Test with South Africa in USA in doubt amid poor ticket sales - reports

Warren Gatland's side are due to play the Springboks in the States

Wales playing South Africa last December in Cardiff(Image: David Rogers/Getty Images)

Wales' ground-breaking Test with South Africa in Washington DC this summer is reported to be in doubt.

The match in the States is due to be a warm-up for Wales' summer tour to Argentina and the Springboks' three-Test showdown with England back in Africa.

However, the Daily Mail report poor ticket sales and financial issues involving the company staging the fixture has thrown question marks over the game.

It is understood the match may need 27,000 supporters to turn up at the 46,000-capacity RFK Stadium to break even.

The newspaper say with only a handful of tickets sold and less than six weeks until kick-off, there have been discussions back in the States about changing the venue, date of the game and even talks about Wales or South Africa playing the USA instead.

Wales and South Africa have also had their original match fee of £720,000 reduced to £540,000, it is said.

RFU chief Steve Brown(Image: David Rogers/Getty Images)

There was also a formal objection from the USA Rugby Players Association (USRPA) to the Wales v South Africa match being staged before the game was announced on February 26.

The game was set up by promotional company Rugby International Marketing, which is reported to have made a £3m loss by the end of 2017.

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They put on the famous 2016 Ireland v New Zealand match in Chicago, in conjunction with a sports marketing company.

The Wales-South Africa Test was to be their first solo venture.

WalesOnline contacted the WRU over the newspaper report and are waiting a formal response as to whether the game goes ahead.