A View From the Cheap Seats

Rugby brings people together one beer at a time.

While it may be the end of the western world as we know it, we're partying like it's 1999 down here in New Zealand (NZ).

As hosts of the 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC) NZers old, young and in-between are embracing host responsibilities big time.

It's as if we're all putting on a national wedding for 100,000+ international guests and no one wants to be the party-pooper.

I'm doing my part by going to eight matches (six down and two to go) to make up for 14 years of no live rugby - the Hong Kong and Singapore Sevens tournaments don't count as they are just expat piss ups where men and women do things they wouldn't normally do at home.

Based on my rugby travels so far, every game has been terrific for a variety of reasons and here are five of my bonus point (good) and dropped pass (bad) observations so far.

Bonus Points

1. RWC has been a great catalyst for NZ cities to get spruced and gussied up. Auckland now looks like an international city with a beautiful harbour and downtown area -- the city just needs 250,000+ more people and a widespread transport system that works.

Can't get enough of the Samoan team's Siva Tau.

2. RWC volunteers are on good drugs. Maybe not, but the volunteers I've come across are unfeasibly nice, happy, chirpy and doing a great job.

3. Bonhomie aplenty among locals and visiting fans - even the Aussies. Though the Wales v Samoa game was mostly awful, I had a great afternoon talking shit and having a laugh with the three Aussies and an Irish bloke sitting near by. There was no spitting, malice or bad vibes just a lot of laughs and piss taking all round.

4. RWC is showcasing NZ's diversity to the world. Led by the polynesian and Maori communities, it's great to see Maori songs, traditions and themes incorporated in opening ceremonies, welcomes and other events. S'pose Asia will be represented when a player of Asian descent makes the All Blacks - could be a long time though .... probably as long as it takes for a train in Auckland to arrive...

5. Andrew Mehrtens - my favourite comments guy - I enjoy his insightful, sharp, opinionated and funny comments. He has a personalty and knows a lot about European rugby - more Mehrts please.

Dropped Passes

A nation of millions is praying for a world cup win.

1. What's with the shit food sold at the games?? Thought NZ, like many other developed nations, has an obesity problem so why just chips, hotdogs, pies and burgers for sale at games? Sponsor's orders? While I'm not expecting prawn sandwiches, canape and a hot and sour tofu hotpot what about other easy to heat and serve items like BBQ'ed chicken, fried rice, noodles, subs, sandwiches, wraps and burritos.

2. Dumb ass business owners. Two Sundays back, Hamilton was buzzing with thousands of Samoan, Welsh and rugby fans from all parts of the globe wandering about the city before the 3.30pm kickoff. My four travelling buddies and I wandered into the city square at lunchtime - which you'd expect to be a hive of activity - only to find that more than half of the restaurants were closed. Guess business must be booming in the Tron.

3. Eden Park. Yeah, yeah they shoulda built a waterfront stadium and all that -- but they didn't and we've got a stadium that looks like it was designed by five different architects. Still, it produces a great atmosphere for the big games - but the eight minute climb up the scaffolding stairs to the Sandringham Road cheap seats is a challenge for many. It's a long way to the bottom if you want a sausage roll!

4. No vuvuzelas!!! Just joking, but I am missing drums, trumpets, bagpipes, trombones, maracas and other atmosphere adjusting instruments and devices to add more sonic power at the matches.

5. This song - played before every game. I don't like it but I can't get it out of my head. And it hurts me to admit that it does put everyone in a good mood.