Covered stadium not an option for 2011 Cup

Eden Park, out of the stands, offers no protection from the weather. Picture / Greg Bowker

The wet, cold and miserable scene at Eden Park on Saturday night could be repeated at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

As drenched fans left the ground after the All Blacks battled to their win over Ireland, spectators in the stands at Melbourne's Telstra Dome stadium awaited kick-off for the clash between the Wallabies and England under a roof and knowing the playing conditions would remain perfect.

There are no plans to provide a roof for Eden Park, where many knock-out games for the 2011 Cup are expected to be played, leaving these games at the mercy of mother nature.

This does not worry the New Zealand Rugby Football Union, which has yet to decide the dates for the 2011 tournament.

"Irrespective of when it's held, obviously rain is a factor," said union chief executive Chris Moller.

"Rugby is often played in the rain. That is the reality of rugby as a sport."

He said installing a roof was so expensive that the union had not even discussed it as a possibility.

"It's a complete non-issue ... completely unrealistic," he said.

"We can't afford it."

He rejected the idea that modern times demanded covered stadiums, saying there were only two such rugby stadiums in the world - the Telstra Dome and Cardiff's Millennium, where the 1999 RWC final was played.

New Zealand's stadiums were more than up to the task of catering for what is said to be the third most popular sports event in the world, he said.

"Ours are as good as anywhere else in the world.

"The one exception is the need to increase Eden Park to 60,000 seats, which we've committed to."

A roof would have been welcomed by rain-soaked fans on Saturday as the All Blacks held off the Irish.

"Everyone was huddled into blankets and not standing up cheering," said spectator Drew Dunn, who was at the game with his girlfriend and father.

"The stadium is pretty average and a bit of an embarrassment internationally.

"It's not worth it when you can stay in the pub and enjoy the game dry and warm."

Wellington's Westpactrust Stadium has 35,500 seats, of which 24,000 seats are covered by a 12,000sq m roof.

The stadium's chief executive, David Gray, said there were no plans to extend the roof - that would cost about $50 million - by 2011.

"The cost of building a roof is huge, and cannot be justified given the number of events in New Zealand."

Jade Stadium chief executive Bryan Pearson also said installing a roof was not an option.

He would not say how much a roof for the Christchurch stadium could cost.

The 2003 Cup final was at Sydney's Telstra Stadium, which underwent an $80m redevelopment that, among other things, put 90 per cent of seats under cover.


A TALE OF TWO STADIUMS

Eden Park, Auckland

* Home to Auckland cricket and rugby.
* Sports ground since: 1900.
* Capacity: 48,000.
* $130 million plan to increase capacity to 60,000.
* Adult prices for uncovered seats for the Ireland test were $30 to $50.


Telstra Dome, Melbourne

* Features: Arena Roof and two internal video screens.
* Capacity: 56,500.
* Built: 2000.
* Home to five AFL teams, but also used for rugby, rugby league, cricket, concerts.
* Prices for Wallabies v England ranged from A$39 ($46.70) to A$109 ($130.50).