By WYNNE GRAY
The "Cake Tin" baked with atmosphere, but its contents needed cooling.
Those who have seen and been to the new Wellington Stadium admire its passion and appearance. However, on its test rugby debut, the ground - referred to as the Cake Tin but desperately trying to be known as the Coliseum - got too heated for some spectators.
During the game they launched plastic beer bottles into the crowd and then threw bottles and cans towards South African referee Jonathan Kaplan as he left the park.
All Black lock Norm Maxwell returned to the arena to appease the perpetrators.
Some of the obstreperous emotion surfaced early because of the replay screen, which filled with a repeat adverts during all the crucial try-scoring movements. That screen also appeared to use a running time clock which threw everyone into a frenzy as it went into the 83rd minute with Kaplan still calling play on.
Why New Zealand continues to leave the time to the referee instead of using another official with a hooter has been a mystery for some years.
After John Eales kicked his winning penalty, the 36,000 crowd booed the Wallabies in a very ordinary display of sportsmanship. It continued the behaviour which the stadium did not deserve.
After his recent alcohol tangle, local hero Tana Umaga was appalled by the bottle and can onslaught on the referee.
"That is not on, eh! That is the game, you play until the referee blows his whistle. Who cares if it is 85 minutes, we play until the match is over," he said. "It puts Wellington in a bad light and that is disappointing because of the way the whole town geared up for this occasion.
"Hopefully, it does not harm their chances of having these games again."
Andrew Mehrtens was equally critical as he watched the trouble unfold from the sideline.
"The referee is not going out there to try to lose us the game or cheat," he said. "Despite what you feel about him, imagine how bad you would feel if you took a bottle and sconned the guy. It is inexcusable."
All Blacks test programme 2000
Rugby: Wellington 'Cake Tin' has moments of shame on debut
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