That Guy: Forget 'seven', try 10/10

Gingerbread men at the Wellington Sevens. Photo / Getty Images

Opinion

Well that's the conclusion of another fantastic sevens rugby tournament in Wellington.

Each year the costumes get better and more outrageous. Animals, retro TV characters, household appliances and weirdo creations from normally uncreative minds fill the stadium from top to bottom.

And this year the crowd really let it all hang out. When getting from A to B, I often had to struggle through the heaving crowd, where all manner of breasts were on display and often in your face. Perky ones, large ones - and that's just the men.

It's certainly one hell of party and in my opinion this event represents everything that is good about New Zealand. It has all cultures and demographics partying side by side - and of course there is also rugby.

Some would say that alcohol plays a big part, which is true, but I would go as far as to say that this event demonstrates on the most part everything that is good about alcohol.

Strangers coming together to watch a spectacle of sport and take part in huge party, in the best possible spirit.

But this is not the first time I have been to the event. My first sevens experience was at the inaugural event.

No I wasn't playing, rather I was charged with interviewing people in the crowd for the Sports Cafe show.

The following morning we were called into the control room so certain technical issues could be addressed. The main 'technical' problem seemed to be me seen drinking a litre of beer out of a rubber chicken. Unbeknown to me this occurred live during the broadcast.

The way I remember it was that I was asked to do it by one of the Teletubbies who was fairly merry, and clearly wasn't going to take no for an answer. It was easier and quicker to just do it.

This year I was there in an official capacity doing some work with NZI, the sponsor, and former All Black Glen Osborne was my sidekick.

Nowadays I have a far more professional attitude and realise that you can't work at an event and literally be part of it at the same time.

You wouldn't drink during the show if you were a high-wire trapeze artist so you shouldn't really do it when you are spinning a prize wheel on the sideline during the Wellington sevens.

One thing that can't be over-looked at this event is the dedication from all those attending. These costumes are custom built for the occasion and then discarded to make way for a new concept the next year.

At the conclusion of the tournament everybody wanders into the city and by and large the atmosphere and spirit of the event carries on there.

Though many people probably don't want to hear it, if the Cake Tin could hold a few more thousand people, Wellington would be the ideal place to host the finals of the Rugby World Cup.

I have given up wishing that Auckland could host a fun, very Kiwi event like this because they couldn't - and even if they could they would be whinging about who was going to clean up the plastic bottles at the end of it. And the rubber chickens.