THE best thing Welsh Rugby Union chief David Moffett said at the weekend was they will review their ticket pricing policy.

Deciding to hurriedly dash down to the 'mixed zone' where players are interviewed after the match, Moffett was forced on to the defensive after seeing the wide open spaces in the stadium during the South Africa match.

Let me say straightaway that a crowd of 'only' 58,000 in a 74,000-capacity stadium is not all the fault of the WRU.

For in the days of the old Cardiff Arms Park when matches against South Africa and New Zealand, as well as for the then Five Nations, were always a sell-out, the capacity of the ground was around 52,000. So it was well up on that.

And as Moffett pointed out Christchurch in New Zealand could attract only 44,000, 3,000 under capacity for the Tri Nations game against South Africa in the summer.

So it's well up on that, too.

But it doesn't go down well to hear Springbok coach Jake White express his dismay that the ground wasn't a sell-out, and that he thought Wales was a rugby-mad country.

And it's hard to take seeing those big empty spaces in the stadium when one of the world's great countries are playing there.

I don't like it and it's tempting to ask what has happened to our great game and berate those who boycotted such a big match.

But that would be taking the easy way out. Instead, you have to look at the policy where fans were asked to fork out £42 for a stand ticket (though that is less than other countries charge) and buy a ticket for Friday's match against Romania as well at a cost of another £8.

That may be cheap enough, but it takes the cost to £50 without thinking about travelling costs, other members of the family, drinks, meals, not once but twice.

That really isn't on.

It may be that crowds against Romania and Japan will now be around 25,000, but far better to fill the stadium against South Africa and New Zealand with a normal single ticketing policy and then farm the lesser matches out to regional grounds where attendances would be decent enough and sufficiently atmospheric.

No wonder Moffett was scrambling around on Saturday going to great lengths to save face. Quite clearly the policy someone dreamt up failed, and it should be abandoned here and now.

On the field, it's a job to know whether the Springboks twice took their foot off the gas to allow Wales back in or whether the new-look Welsh team really did shake up the Tri Nations champions, probably a bit of both.

What is beyond dispute is Wales lost it in a disappointing opening quarter when they allowed the Springboks too much respect.

Thereafter there's no doubt in they surprised the Southern Hemisphere champions with a gutsy performance. Gavin Henson showed glimpses of his ability, Dwayne Peel worried the Boks throughout and, that opening spell apart, the Welsh team generally got after their vaunted opponents.

I don't think this is another false dawn, I can't see coach Mike Ruddock allowing it to be, and victory against the All Blacks really would be a badly needed shot in the arm for Welsh rugby.

Newport Gwent Dragons, meanwhile, battle on and their victory over Celtic League leaders Neath Swansea Ospreys closed the gap to seven points with a game in hand.

It was a pity they allowed the Opsreys back in near the end to claim a bonus point, but the attitude of Craig Warlow was terrific after his 18-point haul.

Now it's on to Cork for the first time to face Munster on Saturday night, though a day which starts with a wake-up call of 6.30am and an arrival back at Cardiff Airport at 1.30am on Sunday is more than a bit daunting, especially after Friday night's international. The things we do!

Coach Chris Anderson discovered it's not only the Dragons who encounter line-out problems after the Welsh difficulties less than 24 hours later.

How he must have envied the Springboks as skipper John Smit and Victor Matfield worked like clockwork.

For Anderson's line-out philosophy tends to be roughly this - look, there are two line-out men, throw the ball to one, win it and get on with the game.

But for all his bluntness he's not Mr Unpopular, and he's happily driving around in a souped up Robin Reliant, donated by popular Roli Mason, for 'winning' a new idiot of the month award.

He even enjoys listening to Andrea Bocelli, who gave one of the most wonderfully moving concerts I have ever seen at a spellbound sold-out Wembley Arena on Sunday night.

Now there's one 'arena' that really was full at the weekend.

Maybe David Moffett should take over at Wembley.

He'd be killed in the rush to give him a lift - only joking, David.