Lions arrive in New Zealand

The Lions squad has arrived in New Zealand for their 11-match tour.

Around 100 supporters were at Auckland Airport to welcome the team around midday.

The squad have gone to their base in central Auckland, and a press conference scheduled for 3pm has been moved back to 6pm.

Welcome banners had earlier gone up ready for the arrival of the first Lions team to tour New Zealand in 12 years. 

The red-shirts of the Lions fans - the "Barmy Army" - had begun to be seen around Auckland as the city prepared to welcome the visitors.

Many more fans are expected to arrive next week in time for the first match against Bay of Plenty in Rotorua on June 4.

Barmy Army project manager Freddie Parker said: "There's been an increase in red shirts walking around Auckland but the bulk won't show until the 2nd or the 3rd."

Mr Parker said 5000 Lions supporters, both expats and UK fans, were expected at the Rotorua match.

But many of the British or Irish supporters would come later as they would be restricted by the amount of holidays they could take.

"The main influx is for the three test matches. They will fly into Auckland and straight down to Christchurch."

Alexandra Park general manager Robert Blake said they would cater for 1500 campervans in July because of the shortage of parks in Auckland.

The park would develop a "Brit-theme" pub in its stables complex, using a special liquor license, decked out with flags and memorabilia.

Auckland's CBD has lamppost banners welcoming the Lions to Auckland, as well as a large cross street banner at Mt Eden, incorporating Tourism New Zealand's "Make yourself 100 per cent at home" campaign.

The campaign is also visible at Auckland and on the North Shore, with banners to welcome the team when they visit Onewa Domain for training sessions.

Tourism Auckland chief executive Graeme Osborne said the Lions tour would be a huge event for Auckland and a great chance to showcase the city to a large group of visitors from one of its key international visitor markets.

"We are expecting about 20,000 fans from the United Kingdom to come to New Zealand. Many of them will be in Auckland for the last week of the tour, and some will even be using Auckland as a base during their time in New Zealand," he said.

"We want to make sure the team and their fans feel welcome, have a fantastic time and go home raving about their time in Auckland."

The Lions will be based in Auckland from today until June 12, then again from July 3-10.

In Palmerston North efforts are underway to encourage regiments of the Barmy Army to desert to New Zealand permanently with "Move your pride to Palmy" slogans.

- additional reporting NEWSTALK ZB