The All Blacks will play in a second iconic sports ground within a week when they run out on London's reconverted Olympic Stadium tomorrow morning.
Rugby fans got their first chance to enjoy the recently converted stadium in all its glory today when France took on Romania in the WorldCup.
It was the first game hosted at the east London stadium since a World Cup warm-up clash between the Barbarians and Samoa back in August.
The 55,000-seat stadium, which cost more than $NZ1.5 billion in total after its conversion, will soon host English Premier League side West Ham United. It was the venue for athletics including the women's shot put where Kiwi star Valerie Adams was robbed of the gold medal by rival Natasha Ostapchuk from Bellarussia.
But organisers will be hoping to avoid hiccups that marred the warm-up game. A glitch meant the on-field sprinklers went off during that Barbarians clash, soaking the players and causing a delay to the action. There were no such problems today.
The scene of London 2012 Super Saturday and the opening ceremony will become West Ham's Premier League home at the start of next season, but not before five World Cup matches are played.
As well as France v Romania and the All Blacks playing Namibia, the venue will host the South Africa v United States and Ireland v Italy pool matches as well as the Bronze medal playoff for third place.
Fans' feedback will be key for West Ham as they look to iron out any problems before they make the move from Upton Park at the start of next season.
