Auckland couple Dave Bell and Andrea Siddall are All Blacks superfans.
If rugby was a religion they could be called zealots. Their usual place of worship is Auckland's Eden Park but come dawn November 1 on this side of the world, Bell and Siddall will be at Twickenham Stadium in London.
They will be there after spending the equivalent of a house deposit to go on the All Blacks Tours' flagship 47-night Rugby World Cup package.
Both have been massive supporters of the All Blacks from a young age. Photo / Doug Sherring
It includes flights, accommodation and tickets to all All Blacks' matches, the opening ceremony and the play-offs.
They have no regrets about their biggest All Blacks investment yet, said Bell, a 52-year-old manager for OnGas and a 2011 Rugby World Cup volunteer.
"We're lucky the bank manager has been understanding. Luckily they're happy to give away money at very high interest rates. I just feel like it's a real privilege to be able to go to these games."
He didn't know how much extending their loan would cost them long-term, but they had already topped up their mortgage with savings and investment returns so felt okay financially.
"I had a heart attack eight or nine years ago. You don't know when your number's up. This is really important to us. You can't take your money with you."
Bell and Siddall are certainly loyal. They kept the faith after travelling to Sydney and watching the All Blacks' hiccup two weeks ago and were rewarded at last weekend's test victory over the Wallabies at Eden Park — a match that also marked captain Richie McCaw becoming the most-capped player in international rugby.
Both believe the All Blacks will triumph at Twickenham and can't wait to be there.
Siddall is so keen she was prepared to quit her job. "I said 'we've paid for it, we've looked forward to it for four years, I'm just going'."
Both became hooked on the team young — Bell during the infamous 1981 Springbok Tour and Siddall growing up in a rugby-mad family.
"I can't even remember not following the All Blacks. Every game, by hook or by crook, my mother would be watching it," Siddall, 45, said.
"My nana and my mother once caught a train from Wellington, went to a game at Eden Park and then came straight back to Wellington."
The couple, who have been together six years, were equally passionate although Bell was "more into the technical side, whereas I'm more into the emotional side", Siddall said.
Bell, who has banned talking in the house during sports news — "that's why replays were invented because somewhere in the world somebody's wife has walked in front of the TV during the sports' news" — will take what comes over the next 11 weeks.
"I'm proud to be a New Zealander, I'm proud to be an All Blacks fan. Win or lose, who knows what the night brings. I love the game."
