Rugby fans prepare for all-nighters, family spats
SEGREGATED couches are needed in the Smith household when the All Blacks play the Springboks.
As the men in black face off against South Africa in the semifinal of the Rugby World Cup from 4am tomorrow, Jeremy Smith will be up backing the Boks, while his wife, Alexandra, gets behind the ABs.
The early start time means Wellington bars are also gearing up for a big night, opening right through this evening, while police warn punters that officers will be out in force.
Alexandra said her family was split down the middle over the match, with their son cheering for green and their daughter for black. ‘‘We usually sit on separate couches when we watch.’’
But for husband Jeremy, who is also Hospitality New Zealand’s Wellington branch president, the match will be a win-win.
‘‘Happy New Zealanders are good for hospitality, and a win for the ABs means happy New Zealanders,’’ he said.
Wellington’s central bars were expecting a good number of people to stay out through the night and into the early morning.
‘‘The Courtenay Place bars that show the game will have quite a good flow-on, and have people stay out and settle in and watch the rugby with their mates.’’
Dixon St bar Four Kings was expecting its biggest turnout of the cup yet, despite the game’s awkward start time, general manager Kirsty Wright said.
‘‘Last week we were chocka on both levels, but nice – not squashy. We’re expecting this to be the busiest yet, we’ve put on extra staff, done a big order, and we’ve prepared as best we can.’’
As the bar would be open all night, it would be putting on extra security. ‘‘With this being a 4am start, it’s kind of awkward; we don’t know if people are going to stay all the way through or go home and have a catnap.’’
Senior Sergeant Derek Orchard said police wanted people to enjoy the match without doing something they regretted. There would be a ‘‘highly visible’’ police presence in Wellington during the game.
Yesterday, the South African high commissioner, Zodwa Lallie, said her team was observing ‘‘rugby Friday’’, with all staff wearing South Africa jerseys and colours.
She promised the All Blacks would face their first ‘‘real’’ game of the tournament.
‘‘The All Blacks are going to play a rugby match – they’re not going out there against a team who are so wowed to be there they’re just gazing at Richie McCaw. These are two teams of men going into war.’’
Springbok fans were expected to gather at St Johns Bar.