Win VIP tickets to the Rugby World Cup final
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Rugby World Cup in South Africa this summer promises to be one of the highlights of the sporting year - and you and a partner could be there to watch the climax of it. The first five winners in our Rugby World Cup prize draw will each win VIP trips for two to the final in Johannesburg on 24 June.
The final will bring to a dramatic close a month-long competition featuring the world's top 16 rugby nations. This is the third World Cup and it promises to be the best yet.
Our five pairs of winners will each receive return flights to Johannesburg, three nights' deluxe accommodation at the Escom Centre, an eve-of-match sunset cruise along the Vaal river, pre-match hospitality, category one seated match tickets and a safari park game drive. The tour is organised by Mike Burton Sports Travel, one of the top operators in this field.
As well as visiting one of the world's most spectacular countries, you will be attending one of the great events in the sporting calendar. The World Cup is the pinnacle of a sport in which standards have risen enormously in recent years, with levels of fitness and ball skills higher than ever before.
The television viewing figures give an indication of the huge boom in interest in rugby. Seventeen countries took TV coverage of the first World Cup eight years ago; this summer 150 will be tuning in.
The host nation, South Africa, is a sports-mad country and no sport is bigger there than rugby union. South Africa has some of the best rugby stadiums in the world, while its bone-hard grounds will ensure that running rugby dominates during the World Cup.
Australia and New Zealand, winners of the first two competitions, will again be among the favourites, but England and South Africa are also strongly fancied. The other home nations, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, will also be determined to mount a challenge, while France can never be discounted.
Our draw also features 100 runners-up prizes of pairs of tickets for the Save & Prosper Middlesex Sevens at Twickenham on 13 May. This event, all the net proceeds of which go to a young people's sports charity, is invariably a fiercely fought and thoroughly entertaining occasion.
To be in with a chance of winning, you must collect five differently numbered tokens from the Independent. Today we are publishing Token 1. Token 2 will appear in tomorrow's paper. We will give you details of how to enter later this week.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments