Yeah, right on Saturday night

BY MICHAEL FORBES

If the advertising moguls are to be believed, then Mangatainoka is little more than pristine countryside where only the most attractive women frolic, brew beer and bathe themselves in the river.

Believe what you will, but on Saturday that image is under threat from the beer guts and bald heads who will likely be among the 8000 rugby fans rolling into town for a Super 14 preseason match between the Hurricanes and Blues.

It is the first time the Hurricanes have sold out a preseason match, it will be their largest preseason crowd and, as Tui marketing manager Nick Rogers puts it: "Those going to the game won't know what's hit them." And he is probably right.

The home of Mangatainoka RFC, which only two months ago was home to 30 sheep, has been transformed by 160 tonnes of scaffolding into a mini stadium.

"We had so many people ringing up about their tickets, thinking it was another `Yeah Right' joke," Mr Rogers said. "They read the word `Stand' on their ticket and figured it meant they would have to stand on the sideline."

But after two weeks of bolting metal poles together, Mr Rogers and his team have created more than just a place to watch a ball being kicked around.

Picture the 20-metre bar, food and concession stands, corporate tents, bouncy castle and the odd sausage sizzle and you get the feeling this match will have a feel-good atmosphere of rugby days past.

But 8000 people into a town of just 200 does not go, and Mr Rogers is unsure how crowds will disperse after the match.

But with a police booze bus at both ends of the town, the main road closed to regular traffic, a "hefty" police presence and 50 soldiers from Linton on security, Mr Rogers was confident the event would be trouble-free.

The locals share his confidence.

Kathy Howland, who runs the "Tui View" bed and breakfast, said all the lodging in Mangatainoka was gone three months ago when a couple paid $45 for her only room.

With nowhere else to stay in town, some might camp by the river and some might sleep in cars but everyone would find a place to go, she said.

"We had the `Small Town, Big Sounds Festival' [in February] last year, which attracted about 3000 people and they all jumped on buses and got where they needed to go."

Publican Vicki Wolland said the Dudley Arms Tavern had ordered 25 kegs of beer for Saturday night.

There would even be cold Speights on tap for the Blues, she said, who will no doubt need one after spending the afternoon surrounded by 40,000 Tui bottles that they are not allowed to drink.

BIG GAME, BIG NUMBERS

40,000 bottles of Tui beer will be on site to keep punters happy.

8000 people are expected to attend.

600 people is the maximum the Dudley Arms Tavern (Mangatainoka's only pub) can hold afterwards.

450 bags of ice have been sourced for drinks and the players' ice baths (hopefully they don't get mixed up).

160 tonnes of scaffolding have gone into construction.

100 dollars for a corporate ticket.

50 soldiers from Linton Army Base will act as security.

36 toilets will be on site.

30 sheep used to live in the paddock, which is now a rugby stadium.

25 dollars for a regular ticket.

18 food and concession stands.

15 Tui girls will keep up appearances.

12 ball boys will patrol the paddocks adjoining the ground.

3 All Black legends (Colin Meads, Brian Lochore and Ian Kirkpatrick) will be there.

2 police checkpoints will be at opposite ends of the town.

1 eftpos machine will service the entire ground.

0 Super 14 games have ever been played in Mangatainoka.

- © Fairfax NZ News