Empty seats during the second Bledisloe Cup test at Eden Park on Saturday. Photosport
SATIRE
In an exclusive, Eden Park gives its first interview since its controversial comments on the Springboks tour 40 years ago. It talks to the Herald about the Wallabies' hoodoo, TMO replays and why more fans didn't turn up on Saturday.
First up, there was a noticeable drop in crowd
size on Saturday compared to the previous week, a lot of people blaming you. At 121 years old are you still up to it?
I'm in the best condition of my life. 10 years ago I hosted 11 games in 45 days. I can't see why I can't have two tests in two weekends and an Auckland-Canterbury game in between. 50,000 fans stood on me for the Six60 concert in April. I was made for these occasions - or at least I've been shaped and reshaped and changed again with these big moments in mind.
So why was the crowd smaller then?
Look I'm not going to play the blame game. There will be a lot of learnings moving forward and I'm looking forward to what the future holds. But try telling my mate North Harbour Stadium (nee Albany) that 75,000 fans over two gamedays is a failure.
Do you believe in this hoodoo? The Wallabies haven't won at you since 1986.
It may be controversial but yes. Yes I do. I had a weird feeling after that game in 1986. The Wallabies were in the sheds blasting Frankie Goes to Hollywood's 'Rage Hard' on their boom box. Captain Andrew Slack was taking a drink from the Bledisloe and said to Topo Rodriguez "We've got these bastards now. I don't think we're ever going to lose in this s***hole ever again". They'd won the Bledisloe for the first time since 1980 and the first time in New Zealand since 1949 (yeah yeah that was at me as well but we would have won that game if Jack Kelly wasn't injured in the first half). This is a team that played games at Ballymore Oval - calling me a s***hole. Of course, I was offended and made sure to do anything I can to ensure they lose. Even when they're not playing the All Blacks. Remember the Ireland pool play game in 2011?
Any tricks that you've pulled off to make sure the Wallabies lose?
I like the old 'blade of grass tip-up' trick when a Wallabies player makes a break. That never gets old. I also do this thing where I let the wind through when opposition kickers have the ball on a tee. Worked a treat last week with Noah Lolesio. Probably the most famous occasion was François Trinh-Duc lining up a kick during the 2011 World Cup final. I was never going to let him get that.
Are you sick of seeing Australia?
It is getting a bit overkill. There's a team called Scotland, I vaguely remember them playing here in the World Cup. And another team called Fiji. They played here in 1987 and 2011 but haven't seen them since. I catch up with North Harbour Stadium and Mt Smart every month at Hollywood Bakery and Espresso and they rave about them. But watching Australia lose… it will never get old. They've played 34 times at me and do you know how many times they won? Four! 1949, 1955, 1978 and 1986.
I wouldn't mind seeing the Black Ferns again as well. Been way too long.
Favourite memory over the streak against Australia?
When the crowd started chanting 'Tuqiri's a w*****'.
Right. That's quite a weird and specific memory
I always get a cackle out of crowd chants. This was when Lote Tuqiri had tipped Richie McCaw on his head in the 2006 test. You don't tip anyone on the head but it was Richie McCaw! How dare he. The crowd weren't happy. He should have been sent off and later got a five-match ban. I also got a kick out of the 2016 test when big screen kept showing Wallabies coach Michael Cheika's frustrated reactions after every penalty and the crowd all laughed.
How's Covid been?
I can't complain. Did you see Six60? That went global. I got voted greatest stadium of the year, which means a lot after all these years. Being a stadium means many lonely nights, Covid or not. There's a lot of cold Mondays where all I do is watch the traffic slowly rolling down Sandringham Rd. Or some nights I can hear laughter coming from Kingsland and think 'I wish those people were sitting in me right now'. Mt Smart has been through some tough times recently. He misses his Warriors and Adele concerts. North Harbour Stadium is used to the long stretches of nothingness though so nothing new for her.
I noticed a lack of booing in the first test?
Yeah that's great to see. The Mexican wave returned though but you can't blame that on me. That's on the players. I can only do so much and I'm known for my relentless preparation. At some point the players have to help out - which thankfully they did last Saturday.
You've seen a lot of rugby, league, football, Nines and cricket over the years. Thoughts on the changes to the sports over the years?
Great question. What I really enjoy is the longer forms of the game and what has been great about rugby is these repeated video replays and stoppages. Rugby games go on for so much longer now which I love. Means I get to spend more time with the fans. And as world stadium of the year I feel they want to be with me as long as possible as well.
Yeah, that award. I don't think that's an actual thing. I'd never heard of it before.
Yes it is.
