Rugby World Cup | The Jackal

14 Sept 2011

Rugby World Cup

It’s only a couple of days until the All Blacks play Japan and I can’t fucking wait. Not just because I’m sure the AB’s will win, but also because we get to see some of the great plays they’ve been working on. So far within the tournament, NZ is unmatched in power, speed and skill.

We had a small sample of the AB's awesomeness in the Tongan game, where a few improvements in ball handling will be necessary to gain the cup. But what was obvious is the previous two losses mean nothing in terms of the main goal... the Rugby World Cup.

The inside info is that this All Blacks team is the best ever… and as a New Zealander, we don’t usually jinx things by saying so. As well as the home team advantage, the Captain gives New Zealand an extra edge. Not to mention the fear response from the Haka, all of which plays into the hands of a home team advantage.

I’m rooting for the All Blacks…
Source: NZ Herald Website -Tuesday 13-09-2011 8:32 PM

Let's hope the changes recomended in this report (PDF) mean that the same issues experienced last Friday do not happen again.
Quay St will be closed to traffic between midday Friday and midnight Sunday for the rest of the Rugby World Cup to prevent a repeat of Friday night's downtown chaos.

Security guards and police will be present in each carriage of the trains to avoid passengers pressing the emergency stop buttons for non-emergencies, 40 more staff will be at Britomart and guards positioned at level crossings and potential track access points to stop entry onto tracks. 

Train ‘ambassadors’ will be placed at key train stations and social media will be used to improve communications with passengers. 

The air conditioning systems will be repaired to make sure they work and will be set to the lowest temperature at Britomart and Westfield stations. 

More buses will be on stand-by if the trains fail again and an additional 100 buses will be provided for services.
 Let's also hope that any protest does not initiate any silly violence like this.