Excitement builds ahead of sell-out league double-header

Wednesday, 23 October 2024

The Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns are in Christchurch, and they invited the Rugby League community to an open day at Wainoni Park.

The excitement of the country’s best rugby league players competing in Christchurch at a sold out double-header this weekend for the first time in years hasn’t been limited to the city boundaries.

One family drove five hours from Wānaka to Wainoni Park to meet the Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns players at a team open day on Wednesday, among a crowd of 500 passionate fans.

“League is the best sport in the world and everyone's finally catching on,” said Andy Taylor.

His sons Marlo, 7, and Theo, 8, love rugby league and the trio had been to three Warriors games this year either in Auckland or Christchurch but are yet to see the Kiwi teams live.

Andy Taylor with his sons Theo, 8, left, and Marlo, 7, right, came all the way from Wānaka to meet the Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns in Christchurch.

They’ll tick that off on Sunday among a 17,000-strong crowd when the men’s and women’s Pacific Championship matches against Australia kick off at Apollo Projects Stadium.

The men’s team last played in Christchurch against Great Britain in 2019 in front of 6700 people while the women last played in the city in 1998.

The Eastern Eagles perform a haka in front of the New Zealand and Australia teams.

Kiwi flags, face paint and Warriors shirts were out in force as the league hype took over the home park of the Eastern Eagles Rugby League Club. Its players ignited the crowd by performing their club haka.

Club president Cameron Tukapua said player numbers had swelled from 290 last season to 420 this year as the sport’s popularity continued to build momentum.

The club put a large emphasis on whānau this season and invited all members to trainings rather than just players, which made a “massive difference”, he said.

Chelsea Gregory-Hunt and her sons Brody, 6, and Benji, 4 months, are keen league fans.

“It brought a lot of kids that were playing rugby back to our club as well.”

It experienced “massive growth” in the women’s area too and added a new under 14 girl’s team this season. Nalicia Te Ariki, 14, is part of that side and she was “very excited” to “see famous NRL players” in town.

Kiwis player and Aranui local Jamayne Isaako poses for selfies with fans on his home club turf.

Hundreds of fans crowded the stage cheering while teams were introduced and the Kiwi Ferns especially impressed with a dance battle on stage backed by a DJ who created a festival atmosphere.

Youngster Ethan Webb, 11, was armed at the ready with his player signature book carrying about 140 individual NRL player cards for the New Zealand team to sign. He was most excited to meet crowd favourite Shaun Johnson and hopefully witness him “score a try” in person during the game.

Kiwis winger Jamayne Isaako, who grew up in Aranui and played for the Eastern Eagles, said the community welcome was 'unreal'' and receiving the haka from his home team was “very humbling”.

Isaiah Papali'i of the Kiwis meets fans.

'It's good to [be] back at home where I grew up playing footy in the suburb I was born and raised in.

'I've still got family members who play and coach [at the Eastern Eagles], my family only live down the road. They are all here, as well.'

Isaako hoped seeing “the Kiwis come to town wearing the black and white jersey will inspire a lot of the younger community to sign up” for the game.

Kiwis team will start their Pacific Championship title defence against Australia before a capacity 17,000 crowd in Christchurch.

The sellout 17,000 crowd will match the last audience for a Kiwis v Australia test in Christchurch in 1989 played at the now-defunct QEII Stadium.

The strong interest in the Kiwis’ tests follows a near sell-out for the Warriors’ pre-season game against Wests Tigers in Christchurch earlier this year and a capacity crowd for their round three win against the Canberra Raiders.

It comes as three groups have lodged bids for a South Island NRL team as the league plans to expand the competition to 20 clubs in 2026.

Christchurch “100%” needed more league games, Taylor said, who would support the city getting its own team and would swiftly become a member. Although he confessed the Warriors would still have his heart as he had been a fan “since day one”.

Venues Ōtautahi chief executive Caroline Harvie-Teare said fans had missed the opportunity to see New Zealand’s best in the South Island for some time, so it was “great to prove there is a real hunger for both the men’s and women’s game here”.

“With the state-of-the-art One New Zealand Stadium opening in April 2026, there is a great opportunity for us to capitalise on that demand,” Harvie-Teare said.

The Kiwi Ferns’ take on the Australian Jillaroos at 3.35pm while the Kiwis clash against the Kangaroos at 6.05pm.

For those without tickets a fan zone will be open from 11am at The Loft Bar in the central city.