Rugby hosts: New Plymouth

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'Naki scene of East v West rivalry.

The cold war is coming to New Plymouth. The city is hosting the United States and Russia for their pool match in the World Cup and its residents will be encouraged to take sides.

The eastern side of a street could adopt the Russians, the west the Americans, or something like that.

New Plymouth City Council's Rugby World Cup manager, Jenny Mills, says they will not call it the cold war, but the east-west theme will definitely be promoted.

The Chamber of Commerce may encourage retailers to dress their shops in the team colours just as they did when the Irish played the All Blacks there last June.

The US team will be based in the region, spending their first week in Wanganui then coming to New Plymouth for 10 days. There they will play Ireland on Sunday, September 11, before meeting Russia four days later.

The US, who will train at Inglewood, will have ample time to become the host-town favourites, but so far Russia seem to be stealing a march for New Plymouth's heart.

The Russian team are coming to New Zealand this month for a couple of preparatory matches, one of them against a Taranaki invitation team.

Jenny Mills says she has found a surprising number of Russians in the region, though many speak no English. But those who can have inundated her with offers to act as interpreters.

An American presence is much less evident, except for the chief executive of a local helicopter company who has offered to give the US team flights around Mt Taranaki.

In late September, Wales and Namibia will travel to Stadium Taranaki for a pool match.

Taranaki will lay on surfing, skiing, boating, deep sea fishing and two race meetings during the cup. It should be a pleasant cold war.