Kiwi hosts on ball for Rugby World Cup 2011

Passionate rugby fans and hospitable Kiwi hosts all over New Zealand are throwing down the Rugby World Cup 2011 welcome mat - nowhere more so than in the 24 communities that will officially host rugby teams.

There are only 100 days to go (1.06.2011) until New Zealand’s biggest-ever event kicks off, and the country is set to make it the biggest party that’s ever been held.

With the 24 host towns spread throughout New Zealand, and the nationwide REAL NZ festival of events running alongside the rugby spectacle, no part of New Zealand will be immune from the excitement.

North, south, east and west - communities and individuals all over New Zealand are rolling out the red carpet, ordering up bunting, grooming gardens and getting kitchens in order as they prepare to do their bit to make the party happen.

RNZ 2011 chief executive Martin Snedden says New Zealand is "a nation passionate about rugby so it’s fantastic that we can bring RWC 2011 to the backyards of so much of New Zealand."

RWC team locations
Each team, including the All Blacks, will stay in a variety of locations for longer and shorter periods - from two to 25 nights - during the six-week tournament that kicks off on 9 September 2011.

Some teams have chosen to spend most of their time in one city, such as South Africa (Wellington) and France (North Shore, Auckland), while others - like Ireland which will set up in six different venues - have gone for a more itinerant approach so they can experience different parts of the country.

With an estimated 85,000 overseas supporters, along with 2000 international media and thousands of corporate and VIP guests expected, New Zealand is preparing to host the nation’s biggest ever party.

Rugby host centres
The 24 centres - 16 in the North Island, eight in the South Island - will host at least one of the 20 participating teams, and crowds of visiting supporters, during the six-week tournament.

These include the 12 match venues, plus 12 smaller centres that will also host teams - including New Zealand’s favourite resort towns of Queenstown and Hanmer Springs in the South Island, and Taupo in the central North Island.

All RWC match venues will host at least two games. Match venues (north to south) are: Whangarei, Auckland, North Shore (Auckland), Hamilton, Rotorua, New Plymouth, Napier, Palmerston North, Wellington, Nelson, Dunedin, Invercargill.

RWC host centres (north to south) are: Bay of Islands, Rodney, Tauranga / Mt Maunganui, Taupo, Gisborne, Wanganui, Masterton, Blenheim, Hanmer Springs, Christchurch, Ashburton, Queenstown.

Each host centre will participate in the wider REAL NZ Festival which will ensure people anywhere in the country will have the opportunity to take part in the RWC 2011 experience.

Stadium of four million
The 24 host centres will be an important component in spreading the excitement of the tournament and bringing to life the promised stadium of four million, according to Snedden.

"Teams will be able to experience more of New Zealand’s rich culture and spectacular scenery and these hosting communities will be able to showcase themselves, their hospitality and attractions to the world," Snedden said.

Rugby teams will use 47 training grounds, including 18 rugby clubs and seven schools, during RWC 2011.

The mixture of rugby club, school and public training facilities will give teams a grassroots experience of rugby in New Zealand, and help communities get closer to the tournament, Snedden says.

Kiwi welcome guide
In typical Kiwi style, each community has big plans on how they want to ensure their local welcome is the best in the land.

Here’s a quick welcome guide to RWC host centres (north to south):

• Bay of Islands & Whangarei - New Zealand’s warm subtropical north and the birthplace of the nation will host Canada, Tonga and Japan. Expect to see red as the entire Northland region is on a ‘Paint it Red’ campaign based on the common thread woven into the visitors’ national flags.
• Auckland / Rodney / North Shore - the Auckland region will host 11 teams, and each of the 34 local communities in the ‘city of sails’ plans to ‘adopt a second team’. But, with the French in town for 25 nights - and a sizeable population of ex-pat French involved in the local hospitality industry - the ‘ooh la la’ factor is likely to dominate.
• Hamilton - Waikato’s welcome is destined to plumb the depths of hospitality. New Zealand’s caving capital is also a rugby stronghold, and generous Waikato hosts have got together to offer free beds in their own homes to visiting international fans looking for an authentic meet the locals experience.
• Tauranga / Mt Maunganui - the sunny Bay of Plenty region will ensure a warm welcome for rugby visitors. New Zealand’s sunshine capital is surrounded by white sand beaches, oceans of sparkling water for outdoor recreation, and great local produce like the fuzzy brown fruit grown in ‘kiwifruit capital’ Te Puke.
• Rotorua - rugby visitors will get a unique Kiwi welcome in Rotorua. The thermal tourist town is encouraging locals to sing out the traditional Māori greeting of kia ora, and visitors will find many authentic Māori cultural experiences.
• New Plymouth - renowned for its strong calendar of major arts events, the Taranaki region will put on its festive best for visiting teams and supporters that will include art, culture, sporting highlights and turning on the lights in Pukekura Park for an ethereal evening experience.
• Taupo - lakeside resort Taupo, in the central North Island, is planning family events and a holiday atmosphere that should appeal to families travelling with players from South Africa, Ireland, and Wales. In down time, players will be able to soak their weary bodies in hot thermal pools.
• Gisborne - on the North Island’s east coast, the locals are planning to win the hearts of the visiting Namibia team with a series of grassroots events, including the 'Rugby Ruckus' which showcases Māori rugby, culture, music and food.
• Napier - colourful Art Deco Napier is going to roll out the bunting as the central city is divided into four quarters supporting the teams - Japan, France, Canada, and New Zealand - while the regional Hawke's Bay 'Having a ball' Festival will entertain all-comers.
• Palmerston North - the Manawatu region is planning to create some "big bang events" as it hosts Argentina for a week. Living legends, running bulls, a Latin American film fest, and a great Kiwi barbeque are all on the menu.
• Wanganui - on the banks of the Whanganui River, historic Wanganui town is planning to welcome the USA rugby team and supporters for five days but the Real Whanganui Festival will span six weeks of events showcasing a vibrant regional arts, heritage and Maori culture.
• Masterton - just over the hill from Wellington, the boutique Wairarapa wine region has a reputation for fine wine, food and boutique accommodation, so the Georgia rugby team can expect great local hospitality. New Zealand rugby legend and Wairarapa local Sir Brian Lochore wants local families to host the Georgians for a typical Kiwi meal.
• Wellington - New Zealand’s cultural capital is planning the Festival of Carnivale with everything from tape art to toast art. Visitors will find a rugby-friendly zone with the waterfront party central in the new Wharewaka, and free campervan street zones for the expected 1600 vans of rugby fans.
• Nelson - at the head of the South Island, Nelson Tasman will be home-away-from-home for the Italy team. That will mean long lunches and late dinners as the region hosts four teams, three matches, and two massive fan zones, along with the event-filled 'Game On Festival' for locals and visitors alike.
• Blenheim - in Marlborough wine country, the locals are preparing for a Russian immersion with language lessons, and special events. Off the field, Russia players and supporters will also be encouraged to sample the local award winning Prenzels vodka and the iStout - a Russian-styled brew from 8 Wired.
• Hanmer Springs - the Wallabies are in for a special treat when they spend four days at New Zealand’s premier alpine spa destination. Hanmer Springs, in north Canterbury, is a sophisticated resort where relaxation and pampering comes with pure alpine air and magnificent vistas.
• Christchurch - Cantabrians will get their slice of the sporting action when the All Blacks spend five days training in Christchurch. Throughout the tournament there’ll also be plenty of day / night action at Hagley Park which will become a giant fan zone and festival area.
  
• Ashburton - this rural Canterbury town, halfway between the Pacific Ocean and the Southern Alps, will be a-flutter with kilometres of bunting decorating buildings, verandahs and residential fences. The main street will become ‘Rugby Lane’ for the tournament, and locals are predicting a "first class" rugby welcome.
• Queenstown - New Zealand’s adventure capital will host Georgia, Ireland, Romania and England for a total of 22 nights. For visitors looking for entertainment, Queenstown offers an inexhaustible list of adventure attractions, or just pure relaxation riding the gondola for awe-inspiring views, world-beating pinot noir, and an effervescent party atmosphere.
• Dunedin - the ‘Edinburgh of the South’ is sure to raise a hearty Gaelic welcome for England, Argentina, Georgia and Romania and their fans. The England team will be in town for three weeks, and rugby fans on their tail will find plenty of action in the university city renowned for its golden heritage, lively pub scene, and passionate rugby culture.
• Invercargill - in New Zealand’s ‘deep south’, Invercargill will turn on some famous ‘southern hospitality’ for teams and supporters from Argentina, Scotland, Georgia and Romania. Local delicacies include Bluff oysters - plucked from the depths of the southern ocean - washed down with a choice of local brews, including traditional Hokonui Moonshine for the whisky connoisseur.

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