Oamaru to host World Cup Golden Oldies festival

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"Huse full" signs are expected to be out in force throughout Oamaru during the forthcoming Rugby World Cup.

The North Otago Rugby Union has confirmed Oamaru will host a Golden Oldies Rugby Festival to be held in conjunction with three southern zone World Cup games being played in Dunedin between September 14 and October 2, 2011.

Union chief executive Colin Jackson said support for the festival had been secured from New Zealand Golden Oldies and Air New Zealand.

Organisers were also continuing to work towards associating the event with Rugby World Cup, the IRB subsidiary that owns the World Cup event.Mr Jackson said festival planners had been in contact with teams and clubs around the rugby-playing world and more than 35 international and national sides and supporters had registered their interest to attend.

The festival will be centred at Oamaru's Whitestone Contracting Stadium, which will have temporary campervan accommodation sites around it.

Logistical planning for the festival and catering for an expected influx of 1200 visitors is well under way.

"We will be seeking volunteer help closer to the event but we know the community is behind the festival," Mr Jackson said.

Golden Oldies World Rugby secretariat spokesman and Air New Zealand event co-ordinator Paul Tibbutt said he was pleased to support the festival.

"The Golden Oldies Rugby movement has been championed and supported by Air New Zealand since the inaugural World Rugby Festival was held in 1979, and Air New Zealand is proud of its support and commitment to the rugby community," he said.

Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean said the festival was all about North Otago being `the best little town' in New Zealand.

"It's an opportunity to showcase the best North Otago has to offer as well as a chance to get overseas travellers to stay in our town. I hope the business community realises what an opportunity this is and come aboard."

The festival will attract players and their families and friends to enjoy themselves, she said.

Cuppy Shepherd, Waitaki Wasps chairman, said the festival would provide North Otago with the perfect opportunity to get their team up and running again and early indications showed there was widespread interest and enthusiasm for this.

Tourism Waitaki general manager Glenn Ormsby said the event was a fantastic opportunity to attract visitors to the district during the Rugby World Cup and one that was not be missed.