Women's rugby has some way to go to attract a crowd in this country. That was cruelly evident at Eden Park in August when the Black Ferns played the Australian women's team as a prelude to the All Blacks' match against the Wallabies.
Though the ground was a sell-out for the double header, very few ticket holders came to the women's game.
New Zealand Rugby will be hoping for much better when it hosts the women's World Cup in 2021. So will the Auckland Council's events agency, Ateed, which estimates the cup may be worth $3.6 million to the city's economy.
The matches will be held in Auckland and Whangarei, which estimates its return at $6.4 million. Think of a number and double it, perhaps.
But regardless of financial worth, NZ Rugby has done well to be awarded the event this week, beating a rival Australian bid. Australia reportedly won the backing of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales on the 42-member World Rugby Council but New Zealand's case was supported by other southern hemisphere nations and those that will not have a team at the World Cup.
