Bad fan behaviour tests Eden Park

Issac Luke had to deal with bottles thrown on to the pitch during the game. Photo / Getty Images

Booze-charged rugby league fans threw bottles on to Eden Park and booed during last night's Four Nations clash between the Kiwis and Australia.

Six people were arrested inside the ground for disorder related behaviour.

New Zealand Rugby League chief Jim Doyle said he was disappointed in fans' behaviour but he believed Eden Park management would have learnt a lot from last night's test.

Improvements could be made, he said, suggesting extra security as an option for big events.

Rugby League ambassador, Mad Butcher Peter Leitch, branded the behaviour as "terrible".

"As far as I'm concerned these people should be barred from every stadium in the country," he said.

The match was billed as the first big test for Eden Park's facilities, security and traffic management for next year's Rugby World Cup. A crowd of 44,324 watched the test, won by Australia 34-20.

Leitch said security staff should have done more to stop the crowd throwing bottles.

"The security should have acted quicker and thrown the people out," he said.

Police had a security operation at Eden Park and were using it to plan for next year's World Cup but they refused to answer questions about last night's bottle throwing.

Leitch said some fans had become angry at refereeing decisions but he said it was a small part of the crowd who were the troublemakers.

Meanwhile, the roads around Eden Park became chaotic when cars tried to merge with pedestrians after the match. Roads were closed to ensure fans got into the park smoothly, a key aspect of the planning for the RWC.

- with Newstalk ZB