Belgian university student Bram Lauwens was also staying put, waiting for a friend to find him in the crowd.
"You arrive trying to meet up with everyone but when you actually get to the Viaduct you end up not actually finding anyone," he said. "Instead, you run into a reporter," he joked.
With his homeland not competing at the cup, Lauwens had raced to buy an All Blacks jersey just before heading to the city.
Businesses and bars for blocks around the Viaduct were booming.
On Customs St West, North Shore resident Michael Maher was buying beer at a local dairy. He was astonished to pay $33.99 for a dozen 330ml bottles of Steinlager pure.
"It's horrendous," he said. "But it's too late in the day to have an argument."
He was more annoyed with problems he said ferry travellers experienced earlier. Mr Maher said there were massive queues at the Devonport ferry terminal and "hundreds" of people were turned away from the 4pm sailing to Auckland.
"They couldn't get on the ferry in Devonport," Mr Maher said. "They said only people with tickets for the game could get on the ferry."
He drove to the city instead and said he would spend the evening at his brother's house, avoiding the big crowds.
"You can't move down Quay Street," he said.
On the opposite side of the Viaduct Basin, Sharon and Laura Jones were talking a walk with Rob Purcell.
They said they had a clear view of the waka coming in from Halsey Street.
They were happy with the waka but furious with Auckland's train network.
The trio had travelled to Britomart from Baldwin Avenue train station earlier. They said they had to wait an hour at the platform to get on a train.
"Four trains went past, choc-a-block. We got here finally after waiting there for an hour," Purcell said.
"They couldn't cope with that capacity. I thought it was a bloody joke," Sharon Jones said.When they finally reached the city, Purcell said he saw numerous pedestrians dicing with danger in the streets still open to vehicle traffic.
"It's disgusting," Purcell said. "They should have closed Albert Street, There's gonna be people getting run over."
They said they would probably take a taxi back to their Mt Albert home, where they hoped to watch the match.
At the new Viaduct Events Centre, South African immigrant Riaan Johannes was watching the sunset with his wife Daniella and 2-year-old son Dylan.
Mr Johannes, a Birkenhead resident, said in his six years in New Zealand, he'd never seen such a big crowd in Auckland.
Mr Johannes, a motorist, was impressed with a trouble-free bus trip across the Harbour Bridge.
"For the first time, we got a bus. It was awesome. No hiccups."
The family said the Events Centre would give them a perfect view of a big screen and of the fireworks display.
Mr Johannes said he was rooting for the All Blacks. When asked who he supported when New Zealand play South Africa, he pointed to his jersey.
He said Auckland's waterfront had come of age, with "massive improvements" to the area's facilities impressing him.
He said New Zealand should host more big sporting events and Auckland should bid for a Commonwealth Games event soon.
Mr Johannes pointed to the cloudless sky and said Auckland was lucky to have clear weather for its big night.
- APNZ
