The Hawke's Bay Rugby Union believes it has the firepower both on the field and in the stands as the Magpies face Waikato tonight in a bid to become the first team in 10 years to successfully defend the Ranfurly Shield for a whole season.
Union marketing manager Jay Campbell said a crowd of over 10,000 is expected for the game at McLean Park in Napier, which starts at 7.35pm and which doubles as the Magpies' last Ranfurly Shield defence of the season and the bid to secure the No1 position in the ITM Cup Championship, and home advantage for the semifinals and final.
Mr Campbell said more than 600 tickets had been sold by late yesterday afternoon, taking total sales to over 7000 - enough to forecast the biggest crowd since 12,300 watched the Magpies hammer Otago 41-0 in September last year, in the first of the 12 consecutive defences that will have been clocked-up by the end of the match tonight.
It's the longest Ranfurly Shield tenure since a Canterbury reign of 15 defences which started in 2004 and ended when the red-and-blacks were beaten in their last defence of 2006.
"That's the last time the Ranfurly Shield stayed in the same trophy cabinet over two consecutive summers," Mr Campbell said.