Northland rugby-mania yet to surface in bars screening games

Northland bars are slow to take advantage of a law allowing them to open for Rugby World Cup games.

Rugby-mania is largely missing from the streets of Northland so far - with bars slow to take advantage of a law allowing them to open for Rugby World Cup games.

Poroti Tavern bar manager Kayla Neilson bucked the trend to show the tournament's 7am opening match between England and Fiji, as well as the All Blacks first match, against Argentina, which kicked off 3.45am on Monday. About 20 people came along to each live screening.

"It's not about making money it's more about supporting our country," Ms Neilson said.

"We're doing $10 cooked breakfasts. As well as a few people having beers or coffee."

She expected custom would pick up throughout the tournament, as people realised pubs were allowed to open.

Ms Neilson said she expected to open for the All Blacks games, finals, and others she deemed to be popular, like Sunday's 8am clash between England and Wales.

"There's quite a few people who haven't known we're open. Since [Saturday] we've had people asking and ringing us excited, to check we're open."

Kaiwaka's Three Furlongs Bar and Grill had opened for four matches so far and were also focusing on breakfast specials.

McMorrissey's and Rynoz in Whangarei, Tutukaka's Oceans Resort and Kerikeri's Rocksalt Bar and Restaurant also indicated they would open for future matches.

Northpower's Steve Macmillan said the company was yet to notice an upward swing in middle-of-the-night power use as people got up to support their team.

"There's been no sudden change in the load curves but we'll keep watch. I know I was up following the game." he said.

The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Rugby World Cup 2015 Extended Trading Hours Amendment Bill was rushed through Parliament in August, allowing bars with clean licences to open for the games provided they notify police.