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Spectators line up for a coffee in the South Stand of Eden Park, Auckland. Photo / Brett Phibb

The economic benefits of the Rugby World Cup may have been wildly overestimated by the tournament's backers, a senior academic said yesterday as the Reserve Bank hosed down expectations of a $700 million boost to the economy.

The Reserve Bank has published a paper on the macroeconomic impact of the cup in which it set out the assumptions underpinning its February estimate of $700 million in spending by visitors.

The Reserve Bank has stuck with its $700 million estimate despite expected visitor numbers rising from 85,000 to 95,000, citing offsetting factors such as the strength of our dollar.

Will NZ shine as a nation at the Rugby World Cup? Here is the latest selection of Your Views:

1. your views
2. Blackrivercreole says
   "Ordinary folk will go out of their way to make visitors feel at home. We do this because of who we are."
3. Abbs says
   "We'll certainly shine, right up until the first tourist is mugged in downtown Auckland."
4. comments

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