Editorial: Aussie army bellows for its team

Feeling confident about our team's chances in the Rugby World Cup semi-final on Sunday?

I met a bunch of fans out to dinner at Ahuriri this week who were feeling very confident.

They were, however, Australians.

"We love Kiwis," one of them bellowed at our group. "Robbie Deans and Quade Cooper are great guys."

So you reckon the Wallabies will take out the ABs, we asked, perhaps a little nervously.

"Blood oath," he bellowed back.

Blood oath? Don't you mean "bloody oath", we asked.

"No," he yelled. "Blood oath is what we Queenslanders say. Have you never been to Queensland?"

Well, yes, most of us had been to Queensland but none of us had heard people bellowing "blood oath" in public eateries. I was beginning to wonder whether I was at the Gin Trap or Hogwarts.

Blood oaths aside, it was abundantly clear to us that the Aussies are coming and, as Australians tend to be, they are feeling lucky.

Air New Zealand has put on extra flights to get them here for the weekend. One sports tour company is chartering its own plane.

Napier's Marine Parade had some 20 camper vans parked along its stretch on Monday night. It was the Aussie army touring north, fresh from cheering their team to victory over the South Africans at Wellington.

At least they were giving our cafes and restaurants a welcomed extra boost from the World Cup carnival.

I spoke to a bloke who went to the quarter final between NZ and Argentina. For All Blacks fans it was nail-biting stuff, he said. Thank goodness for Piri Weepu. The Deliverer.

So, are we feeling confident?

I would not go as far as to yell "blood oath" but I have faith in our boys. Quiet confidence.