The Auckland Council was so confident the men in black would win the Rugby World Cup they were planning celebrations two games into the tournament.
On the eve of the final, a spokesman for Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (Ateed) said the council was "just focusing on the game"
- worried they might jinx Richie McCaw's men if they talked about homecoming plans.
But on September 28, three days after the All Blacks' 58-14 victory over Namibia, an Ateed staffer sent an email to council staff eager to know what was being planned for public viewing of the All Blacks' World Cup final.
The employee, whose name was redacted in documents released under the Official Information Act, also sought reassurance there would be no impact on the Auckland Marathon, scheduled for the same morning.
"I wondered if we should be prepared for a last-minute request for space to either watch or welcome home the team," the response read the next day.
