RWC 2011 visitors
Rugby World Cup is the biggest ever international event held in New Zealand.
The Rugby World Cup attracted more than 133,000 visitors to New Zealand in September and October 2011, and viewers in some 230-plus countries tuned in to watch the matches by live broadcast.
The economic benefit is estimated to have added millions of dollars to the local economy, with many international visitors choosing to take the long way round - using the Rugby World Cup as a reason to get to know the real New Zealand.
Four million hosts
New Zealand's "four million hosts" - passionate Kiwis at home and abroad - came together in a national effort that saw the Rugby World Cup 2011 become as much a national festival as an international rugby event.
The 40 pool matches took place in a range of venues throughout New Zealand, and the four quarter-finals were hosted in Auckland and Wellington.
The final, bronze final and both semi-finals were played at a revamped Eden Park in Auckland where major improvements had upgraded seating, pedestrian and transport access to the iconic rugby venue.
And, in a heart-stopping final, New Zealand's All Blacks beat France 8 - 7 to win the Webb Ellis Cup and hold the title of world champions until the next tournament in 2015.
Memorable event
Some of New Zealand's greatest sportsmen were enlisted to help run the rugby tournament.
Former New Zealand international cricket player Martin Snedden headed the organisational team, and All Black greats John Kirwan, Jonah Lomu, Michael Jones, Sean Fitzpatrick, David Kirk and Andrew Mehrtens were named as rugby ambassadors to help promote the event.
When New Zealand first co-hosted the inaugural World Cup of Rugby in 1987, it won the trophy and earned international praise for the successful staging of the event.
For the organisers, the 2011 event was the opportunity to create an even more outstanding and memorable event - "a really good party, New Zealand style".
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