Rugby: Red hordes in camper vans set to overrun the country

Taulupe Faletau poses at Auckland Airport yesterday with one of the thousands of Lions fans already in New Zealand. Photo / Greg Bowker

No one knows how they do it, but the camper vans always get there first.

When the red hordes pile off trains in Dunedin or Rotorua, they find the camper vans already in place, travelling around New Zealand in a style impossible in the vast expanses of Australia or South Africa.

The mode of transport may be different, but the faces are often the same. Every four years, a travelling army of up to 35,000 is formed under the Lions badge, taking over small towns and big cities alike. For the members of the tribe, there is no finer sporting concept in the world.

"Being on tour with the Lions means being part of one big family," says Derrick De-Negri, on his fourth successive tour this summer.

"You feel like you are part of something special. There are so many thousands of people out there that every match feels like a home game. There's just a mass of red in the crowd, which must do something for the team when they take the field.

"It must be the best concept in sport because so many people go from all over the world - not just from Britain or Ireland - every four years.

"Any international rivalry is put aside. You might think 'there are seven Englishmen and one Scot in this team' but that is forgotten once they take the field. You are there for the one team.

"Then the chants - you can just hear 'Lions, Lions, Lions' throughout the game. To be there to take it all in is quite something, it just builds to a crescendo."

The crescendo is not restricted to the stands either, spreading to the bars, restaurants and hotels of the cities the Lions visit. Their supporters are welcomed with open arms, which is hardly surprising considering the New Zealand economy benefited to the tune of 140 million ($253 million) in 2005, when an estimated 20,000 Lions fans visited the country.

That number is likely to be obliterated on this tour, with cities such as Wellington not having enough hotels to cope with the demand for beds. That in turn has led to the novel 'Adopt a Lion' initiative, with All Black supporters offering a room to Lions' fans free of charge. Hundreds are set to take that option, but the alternative is the aforementioned camper van.

No matter where they stay, though, New Zealand will know when the tourists have landed.

"Back in 2005, there were so many of us in Dunedin that the Barmy Army just ended up taking over the railway station," recalls De-Negri.

"Everywhere you go, there are all these scarves and placards stating where people have come from.

"In New Zealand, there aren't that many big cities or hotels, so you get these camper vans everywhere, which is a fantastic place to see the country.

"The locals always try and make the most of it. I remember last time, there were stalls where they were advertising for people to stay and work - carpenters, plumbers and the like. I think they did get quite a few to do so. All sorts of things happen when you are on tour."

Those who travel will have spent extraordinary sums to do so, with De-Negri one of many who will have made regular downpayments in the four years between trips. But what all tourists agree on is that it is worth it, no matter the score - although winning clearly helps.

"It costs a very reasonable amount but you accept that," he adds. "When I retired, I flew to Australia the very next day, while I know people who have lost their jobs but decided to spend their redundancy payment on the tour.

"But when you win, it is wonderful. In Australia, four years ago, we had Jamie Roberts' mum and dad in our tour party, and he scored in the third test. To see them over the moon brings it home to you, and we were in the bar until 3.30 in the morning that night. It's just very, very special."