By Linny Folau

Tonga's National Rugby Team the Ikale Tahi has been given an opportunity to be the first to showcase to the world the Pacific flavour of the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand after being selected to play against the New Zealand All Blacks in the opening match on September 9.

Rugby New Zealand 2011 Ltd. Chief Executive Officer, Martin Snedden, told Pacific Journalists in Wellington on June 21 that the international tournament, which has to date sold over a half a million tickets, is by far the largest event New Zealand would host, and it would definitely have a Pacific element to it.

He said that on Friday September 9, the opening match would see the All Blacks face off against Tonga at Eden Park in Auckland.

"This would probably be the most dramatic thing the overseas and New Zealand audience would first see that would immediately put a thumbprint on the tournament that would be unmistakably Pacific and New Zealand, rather than just New Zealand, and that was a very deliberate decision to choose Tonga to play the All Blacks in the opening match for that very reason," he said.

Tonga's Ikale Tahi is in Pool A and will play four games: firstly, against New Zealand in the opening match; then on September 14 against Canada in Whangarei; and followed by Japan on September 21 at the same venue. It would then go head to head with France in its final pool match on October 1 in Wellington.

Organizers have also placed Samoa to play against Fiji on September 25 in Auckland.

Martin said this would be a great day for the Pacific community in Auckland and that the other important aspect of the World Cup, apart from the games, is the Regional World Cup Festival that would be held around the matches.

He has encouraged Pacific communities in New Zealand to participate in the regional festival because this is a significant event that would showcase New Zealand's social and cultural aspects.

"It's trying to tap into Pacific communities and make connections. We are providing them with the opportunity and it is for them to take advantage of it and it's an opportunity for them to partner with us and be proactive to make it work," he said.

400 days

The CEO said that as time moves closer, with just over 400 days to the World Cup opening, Eden Park is in fantastic shape and they were getting another new stadium in Dunedin, which would be opened before the tournament.

He said the challenges faced when they started out three years ago was making sure Eden Park would be ready on time and that they could sell enough tickets. Part of the challenge to sell tickets was to make sure that the people of New Zealand were prepared to support the tournament.

"We feel confident now we are meeting the ticket challenge and we are gradually getting the support of the New Zealand people. But the emerging biggest challenge for us now is the perception overseas there is insufficient accommodation in New Zealand to handle demand of the tournament," he said, adding that there were solutions and that they were affordable.

"No doubt the demand for top quality four and five stars hotels far exceeds supply during the peak time, which is the last three weeks of the tournament, that pose the most problem with accommodation. But we have come up with solutions like cruise ships are now in place, getting overseas people to know what the motels offer and there are entrepreneurs establishing private homes for rental," he said.

NZD$300 million

Martin said that hosting such a big international tournament was costing them over NZD$300 million, as they pay for costs associated with all 20 rugby teams and the 48 matches. They fly over the teams to New Zealand and pay for their accommodation, meals and domestic airfares. They also pay costs to hire stadiums in addition to paying the rights fee to the IRB.

The only revenue they get is from the sales of match tickets as they have no rights to sponsorship, broadcasting fees and merchandising.

"We are running this tournament at a loss predicted at NZD$39 million, but running at a loss makes it easier for us to focus people on the point that this is not a loss but an investment in something a lot bigger as the economic net positive impact of hosting the World Cup for New Zealand is estimated over NZD$500 million."

He said equally important from their point of view, was that the World Cup is an important step for New Zealand's journey as a people and a nation as opposed to just being an economic vehicle.

"Another good catalyst of the World Cup is getting things that would not have otherwise been done to happen, like upgrading of transport in Auckland and improving of stadiums, so the World Cup is a good thing for New Zealand," he said.

"Even though we haven't run the event yet but we are far more confident now in running big events as opposed to four years ago."

Martin Snedden was the Chief Executive Officer of New Zealand Cricket before heading the 2011 Rugby World Cup organising team.