By ALAN PERROTT
For the 460 people who endured the Bledisloe Cup loss on the giant Imax screen, there was no getting away from the magnitude of the disaster.
Sitting in a dark, hot cavern confronted by a megascreen allows no escape from defeat.
As one grumpy punter wailed: "One minute I wanted to hug the guy next to me, 60 seconds later I wanted to thump him."
Just an hour and a half before, they had been happy souls, enjoying a few convivials and a chat before a unique opportunity to watch the national religion on the grand scale, courtesy of the second Herald Foundation Bledisloe Cup bash at the theatre.
Although the proceeds from Saturday's event have not been totalled up yet, foundation chairman Richard Holden estimated that at least $30,000 was raised.
A quick pre-match poll of 21 eager punters drew a nervously narrow average prediction of 25-20 in the All Blacks' favour.
But then it was on to the game, and a start that had more in common with a train smash.
Two Aussie tries in the first 15 minutes and the Imax theatre looked more like Easter Island - lots of grim faces without much to say.
Even the first All Black try could not relieve the tension. There was no chatter, just eyes glued to the screen as people crept further towards the edge of their chairs, heads cupped in hands.
The halftime whistle was met with a collective deep breath - the spell was broken.
The second 40 could not recapture the air of tension, but it was a lot more damaging spiritually.
With 15 minutes left on the clock, there appeared to be not a moment's doubt that the All Blacks would win.
Everything was cheered: tackles, scrums, replays, even English linesmen.
But it was not to be.
It didn't matter how many times people moaned, "No, no," triumph became disaster with the peep of a South African's whistle and the swing of an Australian boot.
No one moved for several minutes. Everyone was gutted.
That feeling was echoed in bars across the city.
"We're devastated," said Sel Bennett, self-confessed league follower and manager of the Jolly Farmer in Drury.
"Everyone's asking how much the ref was paid. They're pretty upset. What else can you say? But we're going to crank up the karaoke, so they'll be right."
The loss left them crying into their beer at the Gables tavern in Herne Bay.
"Everyone's still here," said Angela Bradley two hours after the game.
"They're annoyed and grumpy, but they're okay and having a drink, so at least we're happy."
Another happy person was Nick, the barman from the New Brighton Hotel in Manly, Sydney.
The bar attracts a lot of expat Kiwis, but Nick the Aussie had no sympathy for their plight.
"I won an All Black jersey off one of the barmaids. I was going to burn it at the bar, but I didn't want to start a riot so I'm going to colour it green and gold and give it back to her."
The Herald Foundation
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
Latest from New Zealand
Waitangi Tribunal turns, 50 but there’s no cause to celebrate - John Tamihere
The Waitangi Tribunal turns 50 - happy birthday to you.