New stands isolated but views spectacular'

David Kennedy says that for fans it will be about getting into their seats and enjoying the game. Photo / Greg Bowker

Ten thousand rugby fans at Eden Park will be cut off from the rest of the stadium in temporary stands clad in bright blue mesh.

They will be served by separate entrances, temporary food stalls and portable toilets - as far as 10 storeys away from their seats and accessible only via a rattling steel staircase.

But, as Eden Park Trust chief executive David Kennedy pointed out, "the views are pretty spectacular".

Eden Park yesterday unveiled its two temporary stands, which have already been sold out for Saturday's All Blacks-Australia Tri-Nations test.

Finishing touches were still being put on the structures, which look like giant scaffolding but, officials insisted, were made of brand-new steel tubing and 15 per cent stronger.

More than 140km of the tubing has been used in the stands, and they rise up to 31m, putting the highest seats above the roof of the northern ASB stand.

The structures are wrapped in glaring blue mesh. Mr Kennedy said the blue was a colour of the tournament branding.

The entrances and amenities are at the base of the stands, among hospitality tents and "Portacom" metal containers. Portable toilets, which on the eastern end will be set up in the middle of a residential street, are not yet available.

Metal stairs wind up through the middle of the structures and rattle underfoot.

Halfway up, a bridge connects the stairwell to the stadium's main concourse, but this will be closed off during games to make the temporary stands self-contained.

"It's emergency access only, because the concourse is pretty full accommodating all the other people."

Asked if spectators might feel they were getting a second-class experience, Mr Kennedy said: "No, I don't think so. It really will be about getting into your seat and watching the game."

They were the cheap seats, and the views were what was important, he said. "I think the experience is about watching the games, and once you get up there, the views are pretty spectacular."

It is a long way up to the top, and you almost look down on to the goal posts by the time you get there.

The seats are nippy in the wind, and wobbly enough in gusts to induce a twinge of vertigo. But the structures are strong enough to carry the equivalent of two Sonny Bill Williamses in every seat, according to a spokeswoman.

With the temporary stands in place, all four sides of Eden Park appear as equally big and the stadium looks more coherent.

The spokeswoman said more than 50,000 tickets had been sold for Saturday's Bledisloe Cup match.