Rugby: 'Full house' signs dusty

Canterbury work hard but still can't fill their home stadium. Photo / Getty Images

There used to be a time when Lancaster Park would be bursting more than Richard Loe in a tight-fitting shirt.

Of all the centres in this country, Christchurch could guarantee a good crowd. It's not the case anymore. Average crowds at AMI Stadium, as it is now known, are up 10 per cent on last season's figures.

An estimated 12,000 fans turned up to last night's Air New Zealand Cup final against Wellington, following the paltry 8000 for last weekend's semifinal with Hawke's Bay.

The biggest crowd they've attracted this season was roughly 17,000 for the Shield challenge with Otago the week after they lifted the Log O' Wood off Wellington. There was another healthy attendance for the unsuccessful defence against Southland.

Rob Penney, the Canterbury coach, has recognised the challenges and even implored fans to come out in greater numbers. One of his initiatives was to allow spectators on to the grounds after matches to get some sort of connection with the players again.

Small crowds are not just a Canterbury problem. Just 9000 turned out to Wellington's Westpac Stadium last weekend for their semifinal win over Southland.

Auckland has had similar problems.

It appears healthier in the provinces, with Hawke's Bay leading the way, but fewer games are played in the smaller centres and there are fewer alternative activities.

Several reasons have been advanced for the poor attendances - from too much rugby to the redevelopment of the ground and Canterbury being too successful.

But perhaps the most persuasive is that the Air New Zealand Cup does not often include All Blacks and that there is disillusionment with the highly public wrangling by the NZRU over its provincial competition structure - something of a turn-off for many, perhaps.

Rugby fatigue may also be a factor in declining crowds. It has been a long season not only for Canterbury players but also the fans with five home Super 14 games, seven Air New Zealand Cup games - plus the semifinal and final - as well as a test against Italy.

Finances will only stretch so far and it is the longest Air New Zealand Cup competition ever, with teams playing all 13 rivals for the first time in history.

But there has been an undeniable upsurge in interest in the Air New Zealand Cup this season, as evidenced by a small increase in average crowds at Lancaster Park and the massive 50-60 per cent spike in TV viewing figures.