Six more arrested in South Auckland ahead of tonight's Samoa-Tonga league match

Tonga and Samoa rugby league fans clashing in South Auckland this week. Photo/Supplied

Six people have been arrested in South Auckland overnight following days of unrest between Tongan and Samoan league fans involving brawls, machetes and other weapons.

The arrests take the total to 12, with six other fans arrested for disorderly behaviour and possession of offensive weapons, including a machete, in Otara on Thursday night.

As many as 650 people gathered at two separate locations in South Auckland last night, ahead of tonight's Rugby League World Cup clash between Tonga and its South Pacific neighbour Samoa in Hamilton.

Police said three people were arrested for disorderly behaviour during a gathering of 300 to 400 people on East Tamaki Rd, near the Otara Markets.

Another three people were arrested for disorder in Mangere town centre, next to the McDonalds, where 250 people gathered last night.

It was uncertain whether or not any charges were laid, police said.

Violence between the rival fans escalated to frightening levels in Auckland this week.

A brawl broke out in a carpark at Otara Mall on Thursday night after a young fan was seen burning a Samoan flag.

The burning triggered a crowd of stick-and-pole welding fans to fight each other.

Earlier this week, a video circulated of a mass brawl in the street on the corner of Great South Rd and Avenue Rd Otahuhu. There have also been reports of violence in Otara and of Tongan fans riding on bonnets or hanging out windows of moving vehicles.

The outbreaks of violence have seen people giving away their tickets to tonight's match at Waikato Stadium.

Auckland-based Tongan community leader Salote Heleta Lilo told the Weekend Herald she gave her tickets to tonight's match to family.

"I'm afraid to go ... I'll definitely go to the Kiwis [versus Tonga] next week, but this one, I don't want to go, I don't feel very comfortable," she said.

Lilo said she had heard of others doing the same.

The flare-ups between the two communities, who both have significant populations in Auckland, has prompted tournament organisers, stadium bosses and police to renew a focus on making sure what happens before and after tonight's 7.30pm kick-off is both family-friendly and safe.

Cup New Zealand Operations general manager Andrea Nelson said the majority of ticket holders were families and church groups.

"We encourage supporters to treat one another with respect and kindness."

Hamilton City Council's director of operations with responsibility for Waikato Stadium, Chad Hooker, said security for the event was appropriate to the size of the expected crowd.

"I understand police have reassessed their requirements for the event."

He was not expecting problems at the city's first rugby league international, Hooker said.

"We think it's going to be a fantastic occasion."

But some of the behaviour in Auckland this week had police worried.

Police Superintendent Sandra Manderson, the national operations commander for major sporting events, would not say how many staff would be on duty, as that is against police policy, but an extra meeting with Cup, stadium and security company organisers took place this week.

"Some of the behaviour so far has not indicated [fans] will be safe. Some of the behaviour has been inappropriate. It's just honestly not okay to block roads, it's not okay to ride out hanging out of a vehicle or on the bonnet ... we will not tolerate this sort of behaviour," Manderson said.