New Zealand scored four goals in each half and were never threatened by the visitors who set out to keep the Football Ferns at bay and take the tie back to Port Moresby on Wednesday still in the hunt.

But from the sixth minute when the Whangarei-raised pair of Abby Erceg and Hannah Wilkinson combined to open the scoring in front of a 2243 strong crowd at Toll Stadium, the home side never let up.

In a sign of how much distance the Ferns have put between themselves and their Oceania rivals in recent years, the score was not reflective of New Zealand’s dominance with a litany of let-offs and a mass of defenders in the Papua New Guinea half keeping the score in single figures.

“There’s definitely things we need to work on from the game but it’s pretty hard to fault them,” said New Zealand coach Tony Readings after the match.

“They played for 90 minutes and were relentless. They kept the ball and kept pressing forward and that’s all we can ask for really.”

With a comfortable lead at the halfway stage of the two-legged final Readings said the focus for the return leg was to finish the job of claiming the 12th and final place at the finals in London while getting closer to the standards an Olympic Games demands.

“Going in at 8-0 it would be easier for us to take our foot off the pedal but we can’t afford that. Whilst we’re playing these qualifiers, other teams are playing the top nations week in week out.

“So we’re going to keep pushing. We’ll take a look at a few players who were on the bench today but we’re running out of time between now and the Olympics, and we have to keep improving.”\

Captain Rebecca Smith volleyed in from a corner in the 13th minute to double the lead, and a Sarah Gregorius tap in was followed by a long range daisy-cutter from Amber Hearn late in the first half to boost the score to 4-0 at the break.

Substitute Rosie White’s second touch was a diving header in the 64th minute and the 18-year-old added a second goal in the 89th minute, a deft lob after a long pass from Smith.

Either side of her latter effort, White had a heavy role in New Zealand’s sixth and eight goals with saved shots leading to Ria Percival’s well-taken 70th minute effort and a second from Amber Hearn in injury time.

The Football Ferns will train in Auckland on Monday before flying out to Port Moresby on Tuesday.

OFC Women’s Olympic Qualifier – First leg

Toll Stadium, Whangarei

Saturday March 31

New Zealand 8 (Hannah WILKINSON 6’, Rebecca SMITH 13’, Sarah GREGORIUS 40’, Amber HEARN 43’, 90+1’; Rosie WHITE 64’, 89’; RIA PERCIVAL 70’)

Papua New Guinea 0

Halftime: 4-0

New Zealand: 1-Jenny BINDON (GK), 2-Ria PERCIVAL, 4-Katie HOYLE, 5-Abby ERCEG, 6-Rebecca SMITH, 7-Ali RILEY, 9-Amber HEARN, 10-Sarah GREGORIUS (13-Rosie WHITE 62’), 11-Kirsty YALLOP, 16-Annalie LONGO (8-Hayley MOORWOOD 46’), 17-Hannah WILKINSON.

Substitutes not used: 3-Anna GREEN, 12-Betsy HASSETT, 14-Holly PATTERSON, 20-Rebecca ROLLS (RGK), 21-Hannah BROMLEY.

Coach: Tony READINGS

Cautions: None

Papua New Guinea: 20-Linda BUNAGA (GK), 2-Aida GEROTA, 3-Kathrina SALAIAU, 4-Linah HONEAKII, 5-Docas SESEVO, 10-Barbra MUTA, 11-Esther MUTA (12-Clare TSUGA 74’), 13-Daisy WINAS, 15-Deslyne SINIU, 17-Rumona MORRIS (14-Sandra BIRUM 58’), 19-Fatima RAMA (16-Georgina KAIKAS 27’).

Substitutes not used: 1-Fidelma WATPORE (RGK), 6-Agai MAX, 9-Defney FRANCIS, 18-Zeen LIMBAI.

Coach: Steven MUNE

Cautions: Kathrina SALAIAU 75’

OFC Women’s Olympic Qualifier – Second leg

Papua New Guinea v New Zealand

PMRL Stadium, Port Moresby

Wednesday April 4

Kickoff: 2pm (4pm NZT)

Industry insiders say it’s the busiest weekend since last year’s Rugby World Cup, with thousands flocking to the district for the rally in Whangarei and the Football Ferns’ Olympic qualifier.

Hundreds are expected to turn up for the Brother International Rally of Whangarei on Saturday and Sunday, and the women’s soccer qualifier between New Zealand and Papua New Guinea at Toll Stadium on Saturday.

Settlers Hotel, on Hatea Drive, had been fully booked for a couple of weeks, said manager Rick Codlin.

A leading car rally team had taken 21 rooms for eight days and Mr Codlin said business had been consistent for a couple of months. Although the rally team would leave early next week, bookings thereafter did not look too bad, he said.

David Cox, owner of the only five-star accommodation in Whangarei, Lodge Bordeaux, said weddings and a rally team had occupied all 15 rooms until early next week. He was still getting enquiries in the lead up to this weekend.

Motel 6 is also fully booked, with four rooms taken up by rally participants.
Owner Ratu Keshav said: “This year, tourism hasn’t been that good.”

Flames International Hotel in Onerahi was only half full at lunchtime yesterday but front office manager Henry Tohu said he expected all rooms to be taken up by this weekend.

“The soccer referees have taken up a few rooms. Some don’t book in advance and come this weekend, they’ll come looking for accommodation,” he said.

Avenue Heights Hotel has some rooms available but they could be all gone by tomorrow.

Manager Allan Forest said he was getting enquiries for the weekend and he envisaged some last-minute bookings.

“There’s bound to be a lot of people this weekend. At this time last year, we ended up with a lot of late bookings and it will probably be the case again this year,” he said.

The match will be first time the Football Ferns have played a home international outside Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch or Hamilton and will form part of a festival of international and local football with the game preceded by the men’s and women’s finals of Northland’s Community Cups.

“It’s great to be able to take a crucial game to a part of the country  that hasn’t hosted international football before and even better that it becomes part of wider football event for the community,” said New Zealand Football Chief Executive Grant McKavanagh.

“We want to take big games around the country as much as we can. The men’s Olympic qualifiers begin in Taupo this week and there are All Whites games on the horizon later in the year that we’ll be talking to various city councils about.”

The away leg on April 4, likely to be in Port Moresby or Lei, could yet prove a tricky affair so an in-form Ferns will look to take control of the tie with a comprehensive performance on home soil.

Boosted by an increasing number of overseas-based professionals, the Football Ferns recently ran world number one USA to the wire in a 1-2 defeat and finished the Cyprus Cup unbeaten earlier this week after draws against Netherlands, South Africa and South Korea and a victory over Northern Ireland.

Admission to the stadium is $5 and includes all three matches on the day. Children aged 14 or under get in free of charge.

Olympic Games – OFC Qualification Playoff (home and away)

March 31
New Zealand v Papua New Guinea
Toll Stadium, Whangarei
Kickoff: 5pm
Admission: (includes two Northland Community Cup finals).
Adults: $5; Children: 14 or under – free of charge

April 4
Papua New Guinea v New Zealand
Papua New Guinea (Location TBD)

Destination Northland general manager Brian Roberts said having Waitangi Day on a Monday created a three-day weekend, which would be good for the tourism industry, particularly with lots of events around the region.

“Some of the activities are in Whangarei and some are in the Bay of Islands. Visitors will have the opportunity to spend time in different parts of the region and leave a trail of money as they go.”

Mr Roberts said February traditionally brought the largest influx of overseas visitors, with 220,000 expected to arrive next February.

Sports fans will lead the migration north when the Blues play the Hurricanes at Toll Stadium in Whangarei on February 4. It will be one of three matches for the Auckland team before their Super Rugby season begins against the Crusaders at Eden Park on February 24. The Hurricanes lost 22-33 in their pre-season match against the Blues at Kerikeri last February, drawing an estimated 6000 people – a huge crowd for a country venue – and the Whangarei match promises to attract more, with All Blacks Piri Weepu and Ma’a Nonu joining Northlanders Rene Ranger and Lachie Munro in the Blues.

The biggest crowd puller will be the 172nd anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi at Waitangi on February 6 that could draw up to 30,000, down on the 40,000-plus there three years ago.

Waitangi National Trust spokesman Michael Hooper said the reduced attendance reflected the changing nature of the commemoration, which had become a relaxed family day full of ceremony. With Waitangi Day on a Monday and a range of activities throughout the region next year, the trust was expecting crowds throughout Waitangi Weekend.

Jazz/rock fusion group Black-SandDiva would play a 90-minute concert at Hobson’s Beach on February 4 and opera star Dame Malvina Major and entertainer Frankie Stevens would sing at the same site on February 5.

The Treaty commemoration on February 6 would for the first time include the RNZAF Red Checkers aerobatic team and the Black Caps will play a one-day international against Zimbabwe at Cobham Oval in Whangarei on February 6.

Music shows also pull crowds and the Classic Hits Winery Tour is expected to pack people into the Marina Reserve at Tutukaka on February 5. Kiwi singer/songwriter Gin Wigmore will headline the tour, with support from the Mutton Birds and Avalanche City.

 The first annual report from the Northland Events Centre Trust shows a year of solid progress and predicts a good second year, according to the Chairman of Whangarei District Council’s Finance and Support Committee, Councillor Warwick Syers.

“Up to 1 July, before the Rugby World Cup, the venue attracted 448 bookings, hosted 86,853 visitors, held 17 sports events, 141 meetings, 56 training forums, 34 functions, four weddings, eight ceremonies, two expos and numerous other activities including boot camps, fireworks festivals and musical events.

“A line-up of top quality games including the NZ Maoris v NZ barbarians, Northland ITM Cup fixtures, super rugby Blues v Cheetahs, Vodafone Warriors v Burleigh Bears and Kiwiferns v England Rugby league, shows comprehensively that the centre already has a good reputation as a venue for national and international games.

“During the first year we also secured a tenant for half of the commercial space the building offers. The naming rights for the stadium (Toll Stadium), the main Level 2 lounge (Refining NZ Lounge) and East Lounge (ARC Security Lounge) were secured along with three all-year suite licenses and numerous signage agreements.

“Capital grants from WDC ($427,183) and NRC ($310,000) helped with fitting out the leased space, commercial kitchen, lounges, fencing, ticket booths, furnishings, IT equipment, event centre lounge, ceilings, service alleys, work that was needed to ensure the building operates efficiently as an administration centre, stadium, events centre and  commercial building.

“Early on we realised there were organisational efficiencies and economies to be made by combining the Events Centre management and Council’s Forum North Venue and Events management under one structure, and that has proven effective.  The team is now managing Forum North, the Events Centre, events like the Christmas Festival and the Endless Summer Festival.  It is also assisting Northland Cricket with the event management of the 2011-12 National Bank international summer of cricket Blacks Caps One Day match against Zimbabwe at Cobham Oval on Waitangi Day next year,” Councillor Syers said.

“From a financial perspective the outlook is positive too. Early estimates of operating losses in the first two years were as high as $500,000, but in reality WDC has covered an operating loss of only $171,612 this year, with projections for a second-year operating loss of only $31,000.  These figures are far lower than initially predicted so things have been going very well.

“The second year will also show the success of the RWC games, progress on the fit-out, expansion of services, 75 per cent lease of the commercial space and a strong list of high profile events and games.”

For more information please contact WDC Finance and Support Committee chairman Warwick Syers on 438 8879

Throngs of Northland Rugby World Cup volunteers in their traditional ‘sea of blue’ uniforms gathered under the canopy at the Town Basin yesterday for their final hoorah.

It was a joyous occasion tinged with sadness as about 170 of the nearly 350 volunteers came together one last time to share their experiences and stories from throughout the tournament.

The party was organised by Northland 2011 and Team 2011 Rugby New Zealand to say thank you to a vast number of volunteers plus Paint in Red ambassadors based at Northland’s welcome centre in Kaiwaka.

A bus was arranged to bring in volunteers based in the Far North.

Volunteer Susan Botting was the team leader at the Information Centre by the Town Basin but had working stints at the Bay of Islands and Auckland.

“I’ve never spoken more French than I spoke in Whangarei,” she enthused.

She manned the fan trail about 100 metres from Eden Park during the All Blacks and Wallabies semifinal but her most exciting bit was helping tourists off a cruise ship docked in the Bay of Islands.

From volunteering as a tour guide on board a tourist bus to the Opua yacht race and meeting a group of Patagonians from South America, she enjoyed every bit of it.

Mother and son team of Terri and Scott Donaldson from Maungaturoto described being part of rugby’s showpiece tournament as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

They were part of Paint it Red ambassadors based in Kaiwaka, although Scott also volunteered during both games at Toll Stadium.

“I enjoyed it very much. It was an exciting experience, especially the different people I met during the tournament,” said the 18-year-old who’ll study computer science at Waikato University next year.

Northland 2011 regional co-ordinator Stewart McElwain praised the work of volunteers for making the tournament a success.

“Northland in general really stood out and the community go behind the Paint it Red initiative which was seen as a bit of a positive example to the other regions.

“Some of them (volunteers) had no interest in rugby but they just wanted to get behind it, speak from the same hymn sheet and generally have fun,” Mr McElwain said. The volunteers received a certificate and a Northland 2011 banner.

The event is the three-day national kapa haka competition for primary and intermediate age children, Te Mana Kuratahi 2011, involving 1600 performers and their adult supporters and minders from around the country.

Each team of 40, accompanied by two guitarists, is giving demanding, non-stop 25-minute performances before 16 judges, starting with a choral item and culminating in the drama of the haka.

Marks are awarded for seven items – choral, whakaeke (the entrance), moteatea (traditional chant), waiata a ringa (action song), poi, haka and whakawatea (exit). The aggregate of marks produces a supreme winner and judges also acknowledge top male leader, female leader, costumes, haka and tautoko (response).

A large stage framed like a meeting house faces down the field of the stadium back towards the city. Kuia and kaumatua are seated under a gazebo; a few people sit in the stand; the judges work from an elevated platform with a canvas cover and everyone else sits on the grass – until performances reach a crescendo of intensity and one after another the school groups rise to join the wave of sound, acknowledging their peers.

“Where are the tourists?” said one visitor. “This is stunning.”

The six teams from Northland include one from Whangarei’s kura kaupapa, Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Rawhitiroa. Hinemoa Crawford, 12, female team leader, said after leaving the stage, that she had been nervous but it had gone away “seeing all my friends performing with their hearts out.”

About 2000 people attended the powhiri and opening of Te Mana Kuratahi – the National Primary Kapa Haka Competitions – at Toll Stadium yesterday. Today and tomorrow a full programme of competition will take place between 9am and 5.10pm. On Thursday, the contest will run until 1.30pm, after which prize-giving and the closing ceremony will be held.

Sixteen national kapa haka experts will judge the competition.

Moerewa Primary School principal and chairwoman of Te Tai Tokerau Te Mana Kuratahi committee, Keri Milne-Ihimaera said a large, hard-working team of volunteers led by the Waitangi Cultural Committee had enabled the biennial event to be staged in Northland.

As well as managing the large contingent of visitors and co-ordinating transport and the programme, organisers catered for 2000 people yesterday . About 1500 people were expected at the event each day during the competition with a bigger crowd for the prize-giving and closing ceremony.

National committee chairman Hone Mutu, who is from Te Tai Tokerau, said hosting the event was a privilege. Mr Mutu said the event rekindled relationships between regions but most importantly it celebrated “the brilliance of all of our tamariki”.

Mr Mutu said primary and intermediate aged children’s kapa haka had not previously had the high national profile of senior events.

The nationwide, two-yearly junior event had only been going since 2004, before which the competitions had been regional.

“Te Mana Kuratahi is a celebration of Maori being Maori and of non-Maori children and parents having the opportunity to take part as well,” he said. “It’s an opportunity for kids to be themselves and stand proud.”

Most of the visiting school groups were being billeted at marae as far north as Kawakawa or staying in Whangarei motels and motor camps.

The public is welcome to the competitions at Toll Stadium.

The answer will be revealed on Saturday when the annual Whangarei Lions Family Fireworks Spectacular is held again at the Northland Events Centre, in Okara Dr.

A number of charities will benefit from the entry fee to the spectacular, with Lions’ own Choose Life suicide awareness programme a major beneficiary, Malcolm Hawthorn, from the Lions Club says.

Mr Hawthorn said the fireworks event had been held for the past 17 years or so, apart from a gap two years ago, and had become part of the district’s social calender.

The gates will open at 6pm and there will be a full programme of bands and other entertainment for the crowds, he said, with the fireworks set to light up the night sky from about 8.30pm in a 20-minute show. If the weather is inclement on Saturday, the event will go ahead on Sunday instead.

The event is run by the Whangarei club with support from other Lions clubs and Mr Hawthorn said the display was well supported by the community but he would like more people to attend as paying customers.

“There’s a lot of people in Morningside and Parihaka who get a free show. It would be nice if those people came through the gates instead to support the event and make sure it keeps happening,” he said.

Entry is $10 a person or $25 for a family of four, with tickets available on the gate.

The fireworks display had to be cancelled in 2009 because of concerns over its location at Tikipunga after Okara Park was being redeveloped.

Mr Hawthorn said organisers received a lot of feedback about the change in venue and were pleased it returned to its natural location last year and was there again this year.

“The stadium is the best spot for it, but we may have to move it again [if the Old Boys site above the stadium is redeveloped],” he said.

Despite a gritty effort from the Northern Swords 17s team, they went down in their final match of the National Competition, to Mid Central Vipers 10-16 in a rugby league extravaganza at Toll Stadium.

The 17s age grade fixture was one of four matches played at the stadium yesterday in a celebration of Northland league and the improvement the code has seen in the past two years, since the inception of Rugby League New Zealand’s National Competition.

Both the Mid Central 17s team and the Swords were chasing their first win of the six round competition, and the 17s trailed at halftime 12-6 after a determined effort in the first spell, when Swords centre Tyson Paul closed the gap with a try converted by Corey Naera to keep their side in the mix.

The Swords 17s were solid in the second half, with hooker Aaryn Wikaire, and Naera playing in the halves, combining well to create opportunities for the hosts.

However, a niggly Vipers contingent capitalised on their ball possession and extended their lead to eventually claim the win, despite centre Kahi Harawera adding another four points to the scoreboard for the Swords.

THROUGH THE GAP: Whangarei Boys High Schools' Kurt Benney, skipper of the first XIII, slips through the Te Rangi Aniwaniwa defence in the final of the Adam Blair Trophy school boys competition. PHOTO/MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM

The Northern Swords 15s went into their match against Mid Central set to secure their third win in the competition. But the only Swords team to win a match in two seasons of the competition, could not repeat the feat and crumbled against the Vipers, who won comfortably 10-36.

Fullback Kauri Harema and prop Kadince Christensen both scored for the Swords, with Tom Smith kicking a goal, however, the youngsters lacked their usual flair, and errors slipped into their play. A lack of mongrel from the Swords saw the Vipers stretch out their lead and they did not look back.

The Swords Premiers side also played their last match of the competition having failed to progress through to next weekend’s finals, going down 16-24 to Mid-Central.

The Swords were in it all the way, before an attacking kick with the score at 16-20 was collected by a Mid-Central speedster who ran 90m to score.

For the Swords, Shannon Neho scored twice, and Kyle Hool also touched down. Jack Walker slotted 2 goals.