League: NZRL eye Eden Park for season opener

New Zealand Rugby League bosses are looking to cash in on the Kiwis' Tri-Nations success by staging next year's opening match at Eden Park.

In the wake of Sunday's victory, NZRL chairman Selwyn Bennett told reporters in Leeds he was confident the 48,000-seat Eden Park, the home of Auckland rugby, would sell-out for the opening match of the 2006 Tri-Nations against the Kangaroos in October.

The financial advantage of filling Eden Park is obvious compared with the NZRL's regular venue preference of the 24,000 seat Ericsson Stadium and North Harbour stadium with its capacity of 25,000.

NZRL general manager Peter Cordtz told NZPA today they had not yet approached Eden Park management about hosting a game, but said it signalled they were looking at various options.

"I would imagine we'll cast the net fairly wide and invite any venue to present a case that's interested in hosting.

"We're hoping to secure three games here next year and wherever we send them, we need to be sure that they're going to pay."

Cordtz confirmed the itinerary for the Tri-Nations would be settled at the International Federation of Rugby League in February with the Kiwis hosting Great Britain twice while they were working on securing a home test against Australia.

New Zealand are expected to carry extra weight into the meeting following the 24-0 demolition the Kiwis handed out to Australia in the Tri-Nations final.

Eden Park has not hosted a rugby league test since Australia beat the Kiwis 25-12 in the 1988 World Cup final and Cordtz said the game here was in its best shape to attract a sell-out crowd in Auckland.

Throw National Rugby League superstars Benji Marshall and Sonny-Bill Williams into the Kiwis and the NZRL had an ideal marketing tool.

"I think if we're going to be a chance of getting Kiwi fans coming out in force of this tournament, Bluey (coach Brian McClennan) and the boys probably set us up perfectly," Cordtz said.

While conceding the monetary windfall from filling Eden Park would be massive, Cordtz conceded they had to assess whether "Auckland punters would rock up three times to a league test."

There was also a strong possibility of one of the Great Britain tests being held outside of Auckland, with Jade Stadium in Christchurch and Westpac Stadium in Wellington the frontrunners.

Concerns the Tri-Nations would clash with the business-end of the NPC were quashed by Eden Park chief executive John Alexander.

"Once the NPC season gets mapped out, you work out where the gaps are. Obviously NPC comes first, but I'm sure we could find a gap," he told NZPA.

"There's no reason you couldn't play NPC on the Friday and the test on the Saturday, or vice-versa."

- NZPA