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Rugby World Cup lights up Auckland skies

Tourism New Zealand

Wednesday 24 August 2011, 6:25PM

By Tourism New Zealand

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Auckland's Sky Tower lights up
Auckland's Sky Tower lights up Credit: Tourism NZ
Richard Taylor at the new Weta Cave, at Sky City, in Auckland
Richard Taylor at the new Weta Cave, at Sky City, in Auckland Credit: Tourism NZ
Night skies above New Zealand’s biggest city will glow with the colours of the world, as Sky City’s Sky Tower lights up to welcome 20 teams for the Rugby World Cup.

Auckland’s iconic tower will be lit with the national colours of one team on each of the 20 nights leading up to the start of the tournament.

A symbol of home for Aucklanders and a reference point for travellers to the city, the Sky Tower is one of New Zealand’s most visible attractions.

The world’s 12th highest tower stands at a whopping 328 metres - higher than the Eiffel Tower, and weighs the equivalent of 6000 elephants.

Entertainment centre
Not just impressive in stature, the tower links directly into Sky City - one of the busiest focal points of entertainment and dining in the city, and including two hotels and a casino.

It's also the leaping off point for the Sky Jump and Sky Walk.

Already boasting a collection of popular eateries off Federal Street - such as dine by UK-based Kiwi celebrity chef Peter Gordon, and his Spanish tapas bar Bellota - there are three new dining concepts in the pipeline for Rugby World Cup: Depot by Kiwi chef Al Brown has just opened, with Hummingbird by Luke Dallow, and The Grill by Australian chef Sean Connolly due to open soon.

New bars will also be ready for the World Cup, including Chivas at the Deck, Mumm Champagne Bar at Sky Lounge - offering unrivalled views of the city, and The Nation’s Clubrooms sports bar.

A collection of some of New Zealand’s best wineries have come together for an all-new concept - The Twelve Bar features ‘The Family of Twelve’ wine producers.

Weta Workshop
At the base of the Sky Tower, Sky City and Weta Workshop have joined forces to open the ‘Weta Cave’ shop - inspired by the special effects wizards’ original Wellington outlet.

Incorporated into the existing Sky Tower retail area, the ‘Cave’ will sell models from the Weta stable - including The Lord of the Rings collectables.

Rugby lights
Namibia kicked off the light show on Saturday (21.08.2011), with the glowing tower sporting a green stem, and a blue and red top.

The light schedule:

  • 21 August - USA
  • 22 August - Romania
  • 23 August - Russia
  • 24 August - Georgia
  • 25 August - Canada
  • 26 August - Japan
  • 27 August - Samoa
  • 28 August - Fiji
  • 29 August - Tonga
  • 30 August - Italy
  • 31 August - Argentina
  • 1 September - Scotland
  • 2 September - Ireland
  • 3 September - Wales
  • 4 September - France
  • 5 September - England
  • 6 September - South Africa
  • 7 September - Australia
  • 8 September - New Zealand