Napier match fit for Rugby World Cup

Strategy has been considered, the ground work put in place and the finer detail attended to – Napier will be ‘match ready’ for the Rugby World Cup.

Napier is hosting two pool games in the international tournament – France v Canada on September 18 and Canada v Japan on September 27. Both games will be played at McLean Park, the region’s premium rugby venue.

For the past six months, the Napier City Council has been working with Rugby New Zealand 2011 and Rugby World Cup 2011 to ensure the park and associated facilities are in tip-top condition for games that will attract crowds of spectators and television viewers world-wide.

Close to 300 specially trained volunteers will be turning out to help make Rugby World Cup in Napier an enjoyable experience for everyone taking part.

The visiting teams are to receive mayoral welcomes, visit marae, take part in open team practices and meet schoolboy rugby teams. The Canada team will be in town for 15 nights, Japan for six and France for three.

Part of the nationwide REAL New Zealand Festival, more than 50 Havingaball events are to be held in this region – 20 of them in Napier. Apart from tournament-related activity, Art Deco is to be the dominant theme for a programme of events that will include the Deco Party @ The Sound Shell.

Extending the city-wide excitement beyond the two drawcard pool games, Napier’s Municipal Theatre is to be transformed into “Fanzone” for the semi-final games on October 15 and 16 and again for the cup final on October 23. An 8.5m screen and full range sound system should be the next best thing to being at the park and entry will be free.

Banners fluttering from atop 336 power poles – including those flanking the city’s scenic Marine Parade – will ensure Napier is well ‘dressed’ for the duration of the Rugby World Cup. So the city will be looking its best for a showcase occasion, with a predicted 85,000 international visitors in New Zealand for an average stay of 22 days.

For more information on Rugby World Cup in Napier www.hawkesbaynz.com/havingaball