Rugby clubs anxiously await word on extra time for World Cup guests, reports Rebecca Blithe.
A tray of oranges sits on a bench in the Manukau Rovers Rugby Football Club's rooms. Old team photos, dating back to the early 1920s, adorn walls facing the sportsfields. Rows of chairs from last night's function frame three large TVs. This is clearly a family club well versed in hosting events.
Chairman David Stein has been a member for 43 years. And it's the club where it all started for All Black heroes Mac Herewini and Frank Bunce. As Mr Stein explains, "It's about as grassroots as Kiwi rugby gets."
The World Cup is drawing hoards of international guests to the country, hundreds staying at hotels just down the road from the club. Mr Stein and his committee see an opportunity to share with tourists the experience of heartland Kiwi rugby.
"There's people from Scotland, England, one group of 40 South Africans, another group of 99 South Africans. The Italian rugby team's wives and girlfriends are staying close by."
The club printed pamphlets inviting tourists to "come over, have a beer, watch the game" in a "real Kiwi rugby atmosphere".
"We're wanting to show them a New Zealand experience of coming to a rugby club, showing them the grassroots where it all starts from."
Because the semifinal and final will be played on a Sunday, the club needed an extended liquor licence. But its first attempt didn't make the cut and, as the days to kick off tick by, the club is still waiting for the results of an amended application. "It's been three weeks, maybe a month," says Mr Stein.
Treasurer Patrick Lawson has been trying to organise the extended licence and says he's been put through his paces. "When I put in for our original World Cup application, [Auckland Council] told me I'd have to have a resource consent. They said the easiest way was to put in for ticketed functions.
"So we have, for three licences for six different occasions, over 18 days. We're doing quiz nights. a meet-the-All Blacks evening, a guest speaker for the World Cup. And to cover the Saturday night and Sunday night games plus a few key games, we picked other nights as well."
Included in the club application are letters from club All Blacks Bunce and Barry Thomas confirming they would be attending the meet-the-All Blacks evening.
"The liquor licensing guy rang and said this wasn't good enough, we needed to specify what night as well," says Mr Lawson.
"We're hoping we've got around it but we're still waiting for a decision from them. They're leaving it until the eleventh hour and we are worried we won't be able to do anything."
