Yarrow Stadium Passes Grade for Major Matches

We are all systems go for the Rugby World Cup 2010.

Saturday’s All Blacks test match was a chance to put the new-look Yarrow Stadium through its paces, and Manager Venues and Rugby World Cup Jenny Mills is very happy with the result.

“You never know exactly how well a redeveloped stadium with increased capacity will run, but we’ve had very positive feedback from the All Blacks staff and players, and the public as well,” she says.

“The rebuilt turf in particular stood up extremely well. The sheer volume of water that came down in the week leading up the game would have been a problem for any venue, and our Head Groundsman Bill Read took more than 40,000 litres of water off the ground leading up to the game using a machine that holds only 400 litres a time.

“Bill and his team did an unbelievably fantastic job.

“Granted there weren’t many scrums on the night, but even so it’s remarkable that there’s no damage to the turf apart from sprig marks.”

The previous turf lasted 16 years at the ground, and ground staff hope to have this new field last about as long.

Ms Mills says all the organisation to get 25,000 people to and from Yarrow Stadium smoothly worked extremely well.

About 5,400 people went by shuttle bus to and from the game – up on the estimated 5,000 who took a shuttle for the 2008 test match against Samoa.

Thirteen buses ran in a continual loop before and after the game between Ariki and Tukapa streets, and Tranzit Coachlines Manager Colin Shotter says the night was trouble-free.

“The drivers said the feedback was fantastic,” he says. “People were very complimentary and were so appreciative of how easy it was – where they were dropped off at the stadium was where they were picked up afterwards.

“We had all 13 buses lined up to go when the initial flood came out at the end of the game, and as our chartered coaches finished we pulled them in as well.”

Ms Mills says Council staff will debrief about what went well and what could be improved upon for the Rugby World Cup games next year.

“We can always do better, and we want to make sure that our stadium is a highlight of the world cup for rugby fans in New Zealand,” she says.