Auckland police anticipate smaller crowds tonight

Police do not expect the same numbers of people to converge on Auckland for tonight's North Shore-based rugby match as they did last night for the opening of the Rugby World Cup.

About 200,000 people packed into Auckland's CBD last night to join in the opening festivities, assistant police commissioner for Auckland, Superintendent Allan Boreham said.

There were no major incidents in policing terms last night and 64 people were arrested, mainly over minor matters.

One person was also arrested at the All Blacks v Tonga match at Eden Park.

"There are normal Friday nights that have a lot more assaults that we're aware of, and a lot more incidents taking place that we're aware of," he said.

It was the largest policing event they had ever coped with and about 500 police staff were spread between the CBD and Eden Park, he said.

However, the night did not come without its problems, including most of the city's transport grinding to a halt causing disgruntled fans to miss the opening ceremony and match.

Six pedestrians were also injured, two seriously, after being hit by a bus which collided with a car in the city centre.

Two men were hospitalised after being assaulted in the city.

However, most people said they were glad they had come to the city and they were having a great time, Mr Boreham said.

Police did not expect the same turn out in the city tonight when France takes on Japan at the North Harbour Stadium, he said.

"We wouldn't expect to see the size of what we had for the opening, because not only did you have the opening celebrations and the opening of the fan zone, but you also had the fireworks and the quite unique situation where you not only had our national team playing, but in fact another national team, where many of its citizens live in our city."

It could have been a historic event having 200,000 people in central Auckland, he said.