The Rugby World Cup burst into life across New Zealand yesterday with an impromptu nationwide party as favorites the All Blacks look to axe the demons of tournaments past.
“We are ready,” tournament chief executive Martin Snedden said as the world’s top 20 teams prepared to start the seventh battle for the Webb Ellis Cup.
It is the largest event ever held in New Zealand and the country was buzzing with a party atmosphere with streets decorated in team colors, cars plastered with national flags and bars and cafes packed.
Photo: AFP
While 60,000 people were to pack Eden Park for the opening spectacular and first game between New Zealand and Tonga, another 50,000 gathered on Auckland’s waterfront “Party Central” area where big-screen TVs were installed.
The prime Queen’s Wharf had reached its capacity of 12,000 people three hours before the festival began, while other official party venues around the country were also close to maximum.
“It’s incredibly exciting,” New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said as he headed to Eden Park. “New Zealand’s done everything it can to be prepared, there’s a really friendly atmosphere out there and people are loving what’s going on.”
Photo: EPA
Pubs and streets were a cacophony of sound as an estimated 95,000 people from around the world arrived to follow their teams through the 48-match festival spread over 13 cities, culminating with the final in Auckland on Oct. 23.
“This is it now, this is the real thing. The whole world is here. It is where you want to be,” England manager and victorious 2003 captain Martin Johnson said.
International Rugby Board chairman Bernard Lapasset promised “an exceptional tournament” when Irish referee George Clancy signaled the start of the opening game between the All Blacks and Tonga.
Behind the festivity, there was no denying the focus was on the pressure facing the All Blacks playing on home soil and plagued by a history of World Cup flops.
Their trophy cabinet is packed with silverware from successful Bledisloe Cup, Tri-Nations and other campaigns at home and abroad, but it has not seen the prize that trumps them all — the Webb Ellis Cup — since 1987.
“The World Cup is the biggest stage and you want to prove yourself on that,” All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw said, reflecting on the heartache of repeated failures. “I’ve been involved in two where we didn’t achieve what we were after and the shock is in the back of your mind.”
France launch their campaign in Auckland against Japan at North Harbour stadium in the first of four matches to be played today.
England play Argentina in Dunedin, Scotland face Romania in Invercargill while Fiji are against Namibia at Rotorua.
Tomorrow, defending champions South Africa play Wales in Wellington, Australia are against Italy at North Harbour and Ireland have an emotionally charged encounter with the US in New Plymouth on the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
New Zealand has been looking forward to the celebrations after a year of tragedy when deadly earthquakes shattered the second-largest city, Christchurch, and 29 people were killed in a mining disaster.
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