Ready to roll for the big rehearsal

Virtually every facility at Eden Park will be up and running for the Bledisloe Cup test between Australia and the All Blacks. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Almost 90 train services, 130 buses and thousands of taxis have been mobilised to run Auckland through a full-fledged rehearsal for the Rugby World Cup tonight.

Virtually every facility at Eden Park will be up and running for the Bledisloe Cup test between Australia and the All Blacks.

The expected 55,000 crowd will be the biggest turnout in 55 years.

Rugby World Cup boss Martin Snedden said the excitement building up to the match was unprecedented.

"The first thing people will notice inside the grounds is they haven't been in a crowd of this size before," Mr Snedden said.

"The addition of the temporary stands creates a bowl effect, and those stands are full. It will look completely different to what people are used to."

There are enough tickets left to the enlarged stadium - capacity 61,000 - for a walk-up crowd, but it will still be by far the most people to have filled the stadium since its revamp.

"We've been waiting for four years for this. It feels like the start of [the World Cup]," Mr Snedden said.

It was a golden opportunity to work out any kinks; he was sure to wake up on Sunday morning with some work to do.

Officials will tonight keep a close watch on the food and beverage stalls for the temporary stands, the new media centre, transport and security - an area Mr Snedden said had "been an interesting one".

Countdown
* New Zealand v Australia
* Eden Park, 7.35pm
* Expected crowd: 55,000
* Weather: Dry