RWC opening ceremony: Who is mystery sports legend?

Thousands of supporters were at the airport last night to welcome Samoa's Rugby World Cup team. Photo / Dean Purcell

The first details of the Rugby World Cup opening ceremony at Eden Park have been revealed - and they feature a mystery "sporting legend".

Opening night is exactly a week away, and television cover of it is tipped to be seen by more than 50 million viewers around the world.

And fever built further last night as 2000 people - the biggest crowd for a team this week - greeted the Samoans as they touched down in Auckland.

Tournament boss Martin Snedden has been shown tapes and digital plans of the opening ceremony.

Asked his impressions, Mr Snedden said: "Spine-tingling."

"For me, this is the moment I'm really, really waiting for - just this opening ceremony - because I know it's just going to knock the socks off people," he said.

"It's been a long journey. It's been more than 2000 days since we earned the rights to host this tournament, and we've finally got here. We don't want anyone to miss this, because it's going to be one of the highlights of the tournament."

International Rugby Board chairman Bernard Lapasset, who arrived in Auckland on Wednesday, said he expected the ceremony to be the most spectacular in the history of the tournament.

The 30-minute ceremony will tell the story of New Zealand and its place in the Pacific, and will follow celebrations on Auckland's waterfront, including a huge fireworks display.

"The celebrations on the waterfront around 5pm will be magnificent - but I think people haven't really recognised how special Eden Park will be," Mr Snedden said.

The performances will involve 1000 volunteer dancers and 400 singers of 19 nationalities.

Organisers said there would be "dazzling" video projections - reflecting New Zealand success story Weta Workshops - on a scale never seen in New Zealand.

A New Zealand "sporting legend" will also have a special role, but tournament organisers said who it was and what they would do was being kept under wraps.

Mr Snedden said he expected New Zealanders would respond strongly to the ceremony.

What were they likely to feel? "Proud," he said.

About 4000 tickets are still available for the opening night match.