Whangarei’s success in hosting its two Rugby World Cup games show it will have no problems hosting matches for the 2015 men’s Under-20 Football World Cup, RWC 2011 head Martin Snedden says.

Whangarei is one of 12 cities invited to bid to host games during the competition, which is being held in New Zealand for the first time, with 24 teams involved.

TURNOUT: The crowds turned up in colour and costume to watch the Rugby World Cup game between Japan and Tonga in Whangarei at the Northland Events Centre on Wednesday. JOHN STONE

Whangarei District Council is preparing a bid to become a host city for the FIFA tournament, which could be a huge financial boon for the district and help the council achieve its aim of having Whangarei become known around the globe as a great host of major sporting events.

But with the city just hosting two sellout Rugby World Cup matches at the Northland Events Centre, there was no doubt that Whangarei had what it takes to host a U20 World Cup game, Rugby New Zealand chief executive Mr Snedden said.

“You have done a fantastic job of getting behind the RWC and having two sellout games is amazing. It will go down as a huge success for Whangarei and we weren’t expecting that (two sellouts).”

“It’s not just about the RWC coming to town. It’s about the fact that the people going to those games will be left with really great memories and that’s what will live on in the long term.

“And that’s something that’s really important when it comes to (bidding for) the FIFA U20 World Cup. You’ve proven that you can host a major international event and do it very well and I’ve no doubt that Whangarei would do a great job”

Mr Snedden said Whangarei could stand tall for successfully hosting, and selling out, two matches in the biggest event ever to hit New Zealand.

“That’s got to hold you in good stead in your proposal to show FIFA that you are perfectly capable of delivering great U20 World Cup games. And it’s all the better you’ve already gone through the whole (bidding process) to get these (RWC) games,” he said.

“You now totally understand what you need to do to host something like the FIFA U20 World Cup.”

Mr Snedden said Whangarei should also look at bidding to be a host city for the 2015 Cricket One Day World Cup also being held in New Zealand in 2015.

Cobham Oval will host its first One Day International on Waitangi Day, February 6, next year between the Black Caps and Zimbabwe.

The under-20 World Cup is Fifa’s second largest tournament after the Football World Cup. It is broadcast in more than 200 countries and watched by an audience of about 500 million.

Also in the running to host games are Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Invercargill, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Rotorua and Wellington. The official bids from councils must be received by November 30. Between six and eight cities will be awarded matches for the 2015 tournament.

Like many women possibly, Colleen Gibbons had never been to a rugby match. In the 20 years she’s lived at Tutukaka she’d never been to Northland’s home ground, Okara Park.

She didn’t think she’d bother with the Rugby World Cup until last week when she and friends decided to get tickets to the game on Wednesday night.

“We just wanted to see one,” she said, “you get caught up in it.”

Who would have believed a year ago that a New Zealand rugby stadium could be filled to capacity for a match between Tonga and Japan? Even a month ago Martin Snedden, head of the World Cup host organisation, was counting on fine days and a “walk up” crowd to sell seats remaining for almost all pool matches.

Anyone planning to walk up to Whangarei’s stadium would have been out of luck. Canada’s match there the previous week was a sell-out, too.

I had wanted to walk up to Waikato Stadium for the Wales-Samoa game last Sunday. No chance. I saw the game in one of Hamilton’s great bars. It was like being back in Cardiff where I lived for a couple of years.

Samoan supporters were watching the big screen outside. In the bar every second person was wearing scarlet, and they were almost all locals reviving some ancestry. The visiting horde came along Victoria St after the game.

“This is great,” said David Evans from Caernarvon as he left one bar and headed for another. “In Wellington [venue of Wales' previous game] we were told this town was a dump, but it’s the best yet.”

Three lads from Brecon, enjoying a curry in Garden Place, were arguing the relative merits of Steinlager and Speights.

Outside, teenagers were getting their balance on the temporary ice rink.

We owe this wonderful experience to councils as much as rugby. Some, like Hamilton’s and Northland’s have done it well, others have missed the bus.

Drive across the Bay of Plenty and you’d not know anything was on.

At Ohope a lone resident, Allan Unsworth, had draped a big banner on his hedge to greet Fiji. His mother was Fijian and he was fizzing with the response he’d found.

“The council could have done more,” he said.

Drive into Northland and as soon as you’ve left Auckland territory signs at Kaiwaka direct cup visitors to a red barn. Inside, a carver is chiselling patterns on a clean log and a flax weaver is producing handbags.

Drive further and Waipu offers the dubious attraction of rugby in kilts.

But it is in Whangarei that you see the full flowering of the effort that has made the World Cup happen for people such as Colleen Gibbons.

She didn’t go to a rugby match this week, she went to an event.

The Tongans and Japanese who drove up for the match were not just supporting their teams, they were participating in an event. With flags, face-paint and elaborate costumes in many cases, they were part of it.

People with no allegiance to either team are adopting one or the other and sporting their insignia.

They all come for more than a rugby match and they get more: a field bathed in floodlight at night, a stadium slowly filling with people and sound, a big screen and the bass thump of its distant speakers.

They get music. At night in the open air World in Union alone is worth the ticket.

They get an atmosphere built so well that by the time the game starts it almost doesn’t matter who is playing. This is bigger than rugby.

Many more will remember this month than will recall the knockout rounds. This is what matters and it’s a revelation.

Ball boys for the Rugby World Cup games can’t wait to take to the field at Toll Stadium and be part of the biggest New Zealand sporting event ever.

The 10 boys – mostly from Whangarei but also from other parts of the North – have been in training for two years for tomorrow’s Tonga v Canada and next Wednesday’s Tonga v Japan pool games.

REARIN' TO GO: Rugby World Cup ball boys for the Whangarei games, back row from left: Cullum Eilering, Arthur McKechnie, Tom Stevens, Sean Collier. Middle row: Hamish McKechnie, Callum Inder, Josh Crawford. Front: Marshall Ferris, Lewis Johnston and Kieran King.

The boys have been tutored by long-serving volunteer Derek Kirby, the world cup ball boy co-ordinator for Northland.

“Derek has put a lot of time into Northland rugby and these boys have been lucky to be part of his team,” Northland Rugby Union operations manager Greg Shipton says.

“Derek has passed on his knowledge of the requirements of ball boy standards and protocols for world cup games.”

If you think it is just fun and games for the ball boys think again. They have to follow very strict rules during games like not speaking to players and ensuring the ball is handed to the player, not thrown or kicked.

Meanwhile several other Northland youngsters will be involved in the world cup games in Whangarei.

Christabelle Clark and Alexis Svenson, both from Whangarei, have been chosen to lead an international team on to the field during the Tonga v Canada game tomorrow at Toll Stadium.

Kobie Scutt from Kaitaia and Caleb Wilson from Kaeo will be doing the same during when Tonga plays Japan on September 21.

Anna Hales, Charlotte Woolston and Thomas Manihera, all of Whangarei, and Adam Lee of Kerikeri are among the 91 lucky young New Zealanders who will serve as team flagbearers during the Rugby World Cup games in Whangarei.

By Mike Barrington

The Far North great-great-grandson of the man who introduced rugby to New Zealand plays soccer.

Despite this dalliance with the round ball, 14-year-old Kerikeri High School student Adam Lee won selection as one of the four Northlanders among the 91 young New Zealanders who will be team flagbearers during the Rugby World Cup.

He will carry the Japanese flag when the John Kirwan-coached Asian team take the field against Tonga at the Northland Events Centre on September 21.

FLAGBEARERS: From left, Thomas Manihera, Anna Hales and Charlotte Woolston, all of Whangarei, will - together with Adam Lee, of Kerikeri - lead teams on to the field at the Northland Events Centre when Tonga plays Canada on Wednesday and Japan on September 21.

Fifteen-year-old Thomas Manihera, of Whangarei, will carry the Tongan flag – a role he is immensely pleased to have won because he is part-Tongan.

Thomas attends Pompallier Catholic College, as does 14-year-old Charlotte Woolston, who will carry the Tongan flag when the Pacific Islanders play Canada at the Whangarei stadium on Wednesday.

Whangarei Girls’ High School student Anna Hales, 15, will carry the Canadian flag.

The flagbearer programme is being run by RWC worldwide partner Emirates Airline, which got thousands of entries when it invited young people to say in 50 words why they should be chosen for the coveted role of the carrying the flags of the 20 nations competing in the tournament.

Airline manager Chris Lethbridge teamed up with 1987 Rugby World Cup-winning former All Black Grant Fox to select the lucky winners.

“There were shrieks of excitement and tears of joy when the kids were told they had been chosen and their parents would get two of the best seats in the house at the matches where they would be flagbearers,” Mr Lethbridge said.

Adam Lee told the Advocate his 50 words had described how his great-great-grandfather, CJ Monro, of Nelson, was sent to school in England where he became familiar with rugby. On his return, he encouraged footballers to try the oval ball code and the Nelson Football Club played the first rugby game in New Zealand against Nelson College in 1870.

Although he plays soccer, Adam said rugby was good to watch and he was “pumped” over the prospect of seeing the Tonga-Japan match from the sideline.

Thomas Manihera used to play rugby for Kamo and his father, Rolley Manihera, coaches for Horahora.

Thomas said he would be honoured to carry the Tongan flag as his mother is part-Tongan. Charlotte Woolston is the only child of Jane and Guy Woolston, who moved to New Zealand from England seven years ago. In her 50 words, Charlotte described how the family watched the All Blacks and supported the Blues “because we’re Kiwis and that’s our sport”.

Netball player Anna Hales also watches rugby with her family. Respite from school exams today could give her a chance to see some of the televised RWC opening.

Northlanders and visiting Canadian fans turned out in force to welcome the Canadian Rugby team to New Zealand today.

The official team welcome and capping ceremony took place on Monday 5^th September at the historic Waitangi Treaty Grounds – the birthplace of New Zealand.

Paihia Primary School children joined a throng of fans and dignitaries who welcomed the Canadian Rugby team following the official welcome and capping ceremony inside Waitangi’s Whare Runanga (meeting house).

Canadian Rugby players’ names were read out by their Coach, ex-All Black Kieran Crowley, to receive their commemorative Rugby World Cup 2011 caps from Sir John Wells, Director of Rugby New Zealand 2011 Ltd, and Mike Miller, Managing Director of Rugby World Cup Ltd.

Following the official ceremony, the Canadian Rugby Team mixed freely with fans and local school children to sign autographs.

The Canadian team arrived at Bay of Islands Airport in Kerikeri on Sunday for an initial welcome with local civic and community leaders.

Around 200 people showed up to welcome the team as the local kapa haka group gave them a real New Zealand greeting.

Following welcome speeches from local iwi leaders and Far North Mayor Wayne Brown, the Canadian Rugby Team Captain, Pat Riordan, led his team in song, drawing cheers from the crowd.

There was also a special surprise visitor waiting at the airport for one of the Canadian Rugby team players – New Zealand-born Jeremy Kyne – when his Wellington-based mother flew up last-minute to welcome him home.

“It’s been great to give the Canadian Rugby Team a wonderful, warm Northland welcome to New Zealand,” says Northland 2011 Regional Co-ordinator Stewart McElwain.

“There will be plenty more opportunities for Northlanders to get ‘up close and personal’ with the Canadian players as they base themselves in the Bay of Islands and Whangarei over the next 10 days,” he added.

“There will be open training sessions at the Kerikeri Domain for fans to see their favourite players in action” Mr McElwain said.

Canada will be training at the Kerikeri Domain everyday from today (Tuesday 6) to Friday 9 September from 10-11am.

The next team to arrive in Northland will be Tonga on Monday 12 September.

Photos from the airport arrival, and the official welcome and capping ceremony, are available on Northland 2011’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Northland2011

More information on what’s happening around Northland during RWC 2011 can be found on the website: www.northland2011.com.

Teams of high school students will present innovative ideas to tackle the New Zealand savings crisis to the top economic minds in the country next Friday.

The ANZ-Massey Economics Challenge will be held on the Albany and Manawatu campuses and in Whangarei at Toll Stadium.

It is the first time the competition, which is in its third year, moves to Northland and it will take place simultaneously in each location.

Teams of three students will be testing their skills, competing in a microeconomics quiz based on the NCEA curriculum, before making a “rocket” pitch on the topic Are Kiwis bad savers? Does it matter?

Judges include top officials from the Treasury, Ministry of Economic Development and ANZ as well as senior lecturers from the University’s School of Economics and Finance.

Dr Brendan Moyle, who is based at the Albany campus and will be overseeing the competition at Whangarei, says savings is an important issue because the country has been borrowing from the rest of the world for decades to fund activity.

“New Zealanders’ savings rate is very low by international standards and what that means is we have to go overseas to borrow money, which increases our foreign debt and makes us more vulnerable to shocks overseas. It influences the size of our trade deficit.

“Last year’s current account deficit amounted to 4.2 per cent of GDP, which is approximately $8.3 billion,” he says. “We want the teams to think about the sorts of problems our savings rate creates.”

The competition aims to encourage a greater interest in economics and establish closer links with schools, the business community and policymakers.

Each student in the winning team will receive $2000 towards full-time study in Massey University’s College of Business in 2012. Runners-up will be awarded a scholarship of $1000.

In Albany, teams taking part are: Albany Senior High School; Auckland International College, KingsWay School, Kristin School, Long Bay College, Macleans College, Northcote College, Rangitoto College, Takapuna Grammar School and Westlake Boys High School.

In Manawatu, teams taking part are: Feilding High School, Palmerston North Boys’ High School (three teams) and Spotswood College.

In Whangarei, teams taking part are: Bream Bay College, Kaitaia College, Kamo High School, Kerikeri High School, Pompallier Catholic College and Whangarei Boys’ High School.

Judges at the Albany event are: Ministry of Economic Development economic strategy chief adviser Philip Stevens, Department of Labour principal researcher Jason Timmins, ANZ regional general manager Craig Moffat and Professor David Ding, Associate Head of Massey University’s School of Economics and Finance.

At Manawatu, the judges are ANZ regional general manager Lynne Sutherland, Treasury principal adviser Grant Scobie, Treasury senior analyst Katherine Meerman and senior Dr Rukmani Gounder and lecturer Dr Sam Richardson from the University’s School of Economics and Finance.

At Whangarei, the judges are Whangarei District Council economic development manager Peter Gleeson, ANZ managing director retail Kerri Thompson, Otago University senior lecturer Chris Hajzler and senior lecturers Dr Otto Reich and Dr Brendan Moyle.

There will be an “After 5” function in Whangarei, which will be attended by the deputy mayor of Whangarei Phil Halse, as well as school, University and ANZ representatives and members of the business community.

A jubilant Western Sharks Rugby Club celebrated its first finals win when the Dargaville club’s reserve grade team triumphed over Mid Northern 22-15 in the Southern Districts reserve grade final.

The premier Sharks team lost last year’s grand final to Mid Northern, while the reserve grade Western Sharks side have won the minor premiership three years on the trot (including this year) but have been knocked out in the semifinals – until this year.

On Saturday at Toll Stadium, the Sharks turned the tables with their win over the reserve grade champions for the past two season, Mid Northern.

A proud coach Laurie Davies said the win was a big one for the Dargaville club. “It was a huge game for us, and it’s the first time the Sharks have won a final after missing out narrowly over the past few years … it will be a big night in Dargaville,” he said.

Mid Northern, looking for their third consecutive title, scored first on Saturday, with a penalty kick by Jared Going. The Sharks fought back to score two converted tries before Beau Tipene for Mid Northern scored to close the gap to 14-8 at halftime.

From then on, the Sharks dominated, and despite a late comeback by Mid Northern when Mark McCluggage forced his way over the line with eight minutes left to play, the Sharks held on to win, spoiling Mid Northern’s chances of securing a club double (reserve grade and premier grade titles) for the second year running.

Western Sharks 22 (Hamish Stokes 2, Tama Herman tries, Daniel Minhinnick 2 cons, pen) Mid Northern 15 (Beau Tipene, Mark McCluggage tries, Jared Going cons, pen).

At Waipu, Pipiwai claimed the Division Two title after beating Waipu 10-22 in the final.

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to paint the town red – the town being Northland, and the reason for the party, the Rugby World Cup.

The Advocate is committed to keeping everyone informed of what will be happening throughout the Rugby World Cup tournament. It’s going to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and it will also be a lot of fun.

Paint It Red 2011 is a campaign to ensure our visitors have a great experience. Go towww.northland2011.com and you’ll find a raft of ideas on how you can help “Paint It Red”.

Why red? The rugby teams playing in Northland are Japan, Canada and Tonga – all “red” teams. Ticket sales are open for the September 14 Canada-versus-Tonga match at the Northland Events Centre, and the September 21, Japan-versus-Tonga match.

Both games are Wednesday matches, so hopefully tourists and fans will arrive early for each, or simply hang around for several days after the first match. On September 10, tourists can experience another of the Rs that New Zealanders love – racing – when the Whangarei Racing Club holds its Fashion Extravaganza at Ruakaka.

After the first match, tourists are expected to head to Russell for an oyster festival, and with any luck will “take the long way round” as they tour the North.

These are events already on the calendar – word is that local rugby clubs are preparing to play host to visitors by offering up their carparks as venues for overnight stays, and an opportunity to sit down and have a beer with locals and enjoy an authentic experience at a local rugby club.

There is also a multitude of business-associated events happening at ground level.

With our coverage and websites such as www.northland2011.com, there’s no excuse for not being informed about what’s going on in Northland during the 2011 RWC.

With 45 days to go, it’s time to grab our metaphorical brush and paints, and start to “Paint It Red”.

The top four teams in Northland’s Southern Districts premier grade rugby competition – Mid Western, Hora Hora, Mid Northern and Kamo – can’t be overtaken with only one more round-robin match to play.

All four had wins on Saturday when Mid Western dispatched Hikurangi 38-5, Hora Hora beat Old Boys 39-15, Mid Northern trounced Wellsford 57-nil and Kamo beat Western Sharks 30-17.

In the fifth game of the competition’s 17th round, Marist jumped to fifth position on the points table when it beat Otamatea 29-10.

Marist coach Donny Stevenson missed the match because he was attending a wedding at Kerikeri, but he was delighted to hear his team had a victory because he had been “a bit worried” by Otamatea having had two wins in a row and angling for a third.

He said Marist was playing Hora Hora as the curtain-raiser for the Northland versus Taranaki ITM Cup game at Whangarei’s Toll Stadium on Wednesday.

Mid Western and Old Boys will also try out the Toll Stadium turf when they play the curtain-raiser for the Northland-Otago clash next Saturday.

In the other matches to end the round-robin series next Saturday, Kamo will play Hikurangi at Kamo, Otamatea face Mid Northern at Kaiwaka and Wellsford play Western Sharks at Wellsford.

But the heavens opened in the second half and although Hikurangi centre Morris Cooper scored from an intercept – and Henry Foy missed the conversion from in front of the posts – there was never a time when Mid Western didn’t look like winners.

No8 Ben Berridge touched down twice for Mid Western, with tries also scored by prop Glyn Hooson-Owen, centre Dan McCully and Logan Cowan. Fullback Luke Muggeridge kicked 13 points, missing only two of the conversions and penalties he attempted.

Hikurangi coach Hector Davies said star player Whiria Meltzer, who had been given the weekend off Northland duties, had been held on the bench for the first half, but hopes of him making a big impact when he played in the second half were dashed by the rain.

Captain and hooker Mike Paniora, flanker Aaron Wright and first-five Troy Rait played well for Hikurangi.

Hora Hora manager Peter Bennett said that by the end of his team’s battle with Old Boys in the mud on the Hora Hora ground all the players were the same earthy colour.

Six Hora Hora players scored tries – second five-eight Doc Tuariki, centre Warren Dunn, hooker Alan Nisbet, locks Mark Bennett and Matt Black, and fullback Aaron Baigent. Tuariki handled the kicking.

Auditions are being held in Whangarei on Sunday for a choir to sing the anthems of Tonga, Canada and Japan at Toll Stadium during the Rugby World Cup.

Singers interested in being in the 30-strong choir are invited to a workshop and auditions at the Old Library on Sunday. They will be asked to sing a verse of the New Zealand national anthem, in Maori or English, and will have an “ear” test. All 20 national anthems have been arranged and prerecorded by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and a nationally chosen choir, and will be used for training. Peter Walls, MNZM, will oversee the Whangarei auditions on behalf of the New Zealand Choral Federation. The auditions and workshops begin at 10am andwill last all day. There will be a small charge: $10, or for a student or New Zealand Choral Federation member concession, $5.