The Malta Independent on Sunday
Fans savor return of stadium sport in virus-free New Zealand
said on the sidelines. “It’s a world first and it’s a payoff for all the hard work of 5 million New Zealanders.”
Robertson said he’s been fielding calls from India and beyond from people curious to know how professional sports can proceed without virus restrictions. He said there’s something special about being at a game.
“Anyone who’s a fan of live sport or even live music knows that if you’re there, it’s totally different,” he said.
For fan Iki Uele, it was a pleasure just seeing all the people.
“Everyone has been dying for this moment,” he said. “Being locked down, we just needed something to vent out.”
Uele said he did have concerns that somebody in the crowd might have the virus without knowing it. But he was willing to take the chance.
German exchange student Johanna Lindner said she’d never watched a rugby match before, and people back home were both curious and perhaps a little envious.
“It’s a great opportunity to socialize again,” she said. “To bring the country together since New Zealand is turning into one bubble. I think it’s really important to lift people’s mood a little bit.”
Peter Miskimmin, the chief executive of government agency Sport New Zealand, said the return of stadium games is enormously significant, and that sports are part of the nation’s DNA.
“I don’t think anyone has yet replicated that sense of excitement of being in a crowd, and the passions that flow from that,” he said. “To be in a stadium and to feel it, and to even influence the game. The players know that the crowd is there.”
During Saturday’s match, the momentum, and the lead, swung back and forth. The crowd got a laugh and a break from the mounting tension when a streaker wearing nothing but shoes braved the frigid winter weather and burst across the field. Then, with 2 minutes left on the clock, the home team scored a go-ahead drop goal.
As the final hooter sounded and the Highlanders kicked out the ball to win 28-27, the fans screamed and hugged. The players slapped each other on their backs and embraced.
All thoughts of social distancing were long gone.