I was force-fed rugby as a child.
Allez les noirs!
Don’t blame my parents, they couldn’t help it. After all, being an Australian and a Kiwi, rugby was (is?) their religion. I remember being nudged awake in the cold wee hours of the morning to sit in front of the old Black and White TV and watch the All Blacks. They mostly won. The only variable was by how much. Back in those days Dad would sing the folk tune ‘Rugby, Racing and Beer’ as a reminder about how tough, how gristly men were in the New Zealand of old. Pioneering hard men – like our saints in the church of rugby, the All Blacks. The All Blacks were sacred soldiers storming the battle lines on the pitch. Being a little country at the arse end of the world we rarely felt the need to invade a neighbour or two but we had rugby and the Blacks to prove our nationalism for us. We’d watch the game carefully, not allowed to fidget or squirm. Dad would command the velour laziboy and Mum would make hot sweet milky tea and we’d all barrick them on.
This year the Rugby World Cup, the fifth largest world sporting fixture will be held in New Zealand starting on the 9th September through October. I’m well aware that amongst the hoardes of rugby devotees there will be a fair few wives, girlfriends and other long-suffering family members who will be pulled along for the ride. What to do in New Zealand whilst your male OH worships at the altar of the game?
Here’s the first in a series about how the non-believers can survive the New Zealand Rugby World Cup 2011. First up - Auckland.
1/Don’t be barmy! – They are amusing on the tele but they are a bit stinky up close. I’ve had a fair few near misses with the UK’s barmy army and let’s just say they’re as mad as a sack of frogs. Ladies you don’t want to be there. Instead head on over to the outlet malls in Onehunga. Dressmart has grown over the past few years and is now a large complex full of quality brand names at discount prices. If you’re purchasing with the greenback or pound you can be sure of finding a bargain. Keep your eyes peeled for off-season specials. I saw some excellent Clarks shoes there at the beginning of the year, and check out the Amazon store for surf wear specials – Billabong, Element, Von Zipper and Mambo. If surfwear isn’t your thing have a look at the beautiful Kiwi made merino clothes at Untouched World.
What: Quality shopping at a great price
Where: Dress-Smart Outlet Malls, 121 Arthur St, Onehunga – Auckland central.
How: Tourist shuttle bus from City Central outside and major hotels, check website for details.
2/Pig Out – Kiwis love their foodie and coffee culture and the unsophisticated ‘beer’ of the old folk song has rapidly turned into a ‘cheeky little Voignier’ or a ‘beautiful little bitter’. Boutique breweries, wineries and cafes abound no matter where you are in the country. If you want to enjoy a great view and fabulous coffee, whilst doing some serious people-watching, the chichi suburban cafe Cafe on Kohi can’t be beaten. I used to while away quite a few hours here, watching the winter swimmers, the kite-surfers, the dog-walkers and the coffee morning mums from the upmarket suburbs of Mission Bay and Kohimarama. If the weather’s fine cross over Tamaki Drive and take a long stroll around Auckland’s brilliant waterfront. In fact, this is a great walk even if it’s blowing a gale and the sea’s whipped up so it splashes up and over the sea wall. Or if you want a chance to talk to your food before you eat it, try the Nosh markets in Glen Innes Mt Eden and Ponsonby, where there’s a wonderful foodie market and a very nice cafe. Nom, nom, nom.
3/ Put on some beer goggles - You might be familiar with all the wonderful New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir, but the Kiwis have applied their famous can-do attitude to making boutique beer. The West Coast Brewing company makes the liquid gold, Monteiths, at craft breweries dotted around the country. Drop OH at the game and head on over to the Horse and Trap in MT Eden and enjoy something a little different – a Summer Ale or ruby red Radler perhaps?
What: Boutique Brewery
Where: Dotted around the major centres, but try the Horse and Trap in Mt Eden, handy to the rugby at Eden Park
4/ Go to the Races – When I was a child the ‘racing’ meant the horses exclusively. These days racing can refer to a raft of different activities including yachts (America’s Cup) mountain bikes, or motor rally. Kiwis are competitive not only on the rugby pitch but in just about every sporting endeavour you can think of. Whilst your rugby devotee is doing his thing, why don’t you get active yourself and head over to the mountain bike tracks at Woodhill Mountain Bike Park. You can hire all the gear there and even take a lesson on how to fly! 
If you don’t want to be too active how about looking over the winning America’s Cup boat and going for a sail on the sparkling Waitemata harbour? Don’t forget that NZ still produces some of the most magnificent thoroughbreds in the world, so go see some of them race at the Ellerslie Racecourse at the Rugby Meets the Race Day.
Sail the Waitemata on an America's Cup boat
5/ Have a wine
Auckland is surrounded by wonderful wineries, to the south, the west and even the east on Waiheke Island. If you’re not venturing on to the wine regions of Marlborough or Hawkes Bay, you can enjoy some excellent wine tasting from your Auckland base by jumping on a Wine Tasting Tour If you’re time limited try the West Coast tour which will take you around the original wineries established by Croatian immigrants, and some of the fabulous new ‘blood’. One of my faves is Coopers Creek Winery just north of Kumeu. 
Try their Albarino which was recently Wine of the Week in NZ! Albarino also featured on Knackered Mutha’s Wine Club this week, albeit not the Coopers Creek one.
5/Style Pasifika Auckland is the largest Polynesian city in the world and this multi-cultural population brings together a vibrant mix of Pacific style, all of which will be showcased in the Westfield Style Pasifika show on 18th/19th October. A fabulous fusion of music, performance, and fashion, this year’s show will tell the New Zealand story from migration through to the modern day. Now in it’s 17th year Style Pasifika will run between the semi-final and final of the Rugby World Cup, and is part of the Real New Zealand Festival event. Do not miss this show, it will rock your socks as it shows you why New Zealand is different from anywhere else in the world.
The New Zealand story told by cultural performers, fashion designers and musical groups. A colourful entertaining extravaganza.
Of course there are numerous other things happening in Auckland during the Rugby World Cup, too many to mention here, but there is one last thing I need to mention. You need to do this, at least once. Go to see the All Blacks playing, and if you can’t get tickets, make sure you go to your nearest watering hole and watch the All Blacks playing Rugby World Cup Final on the big screen whilst soaking up the local atmosphere. (Of course the All Blacks will be in the final!) Dip your toe in the religion of rugby, at least for an hour or two, like travelling New Zealand, watching rugby in godzone is good for the soul. You may even leave converted, flushed with the enthusiasm of a new believer!
further links: New Zealand.com, NZ2011, Real New Zealand festival
Images: Flick CC
