SYDNEY - Rugby and razmatazz collided head on tonight in a spectacular start to the fifth World Cup in Sydney.
The stylish ceremony of colour and pageantry left the continent glowing after Australian cricket opener Matthew Hayden earlier belted a world-record 380 runs against Zimbabwe in Perth.
Then in Sydney more than 80,000 spectators and a global television audience estimated at one billion tuned into a festivity of song and dance to begin the 48-match cup programme.
The A$5 million opening ceremony was the entree before the main course, the match between Argentina and hosts Australia, who are defending the title.
Before the official festivities, country music star Troy Casser-Daley warmed up the crowd with a rendition of the nation's unofficial national anthem, Waltzing Matilda, in a pointed response to the International Rugby Board's earlier refusal to allow the song during the tournament.
The signal to start the ceremony came from a cluster of 80 drummers at the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, beamed onto the massive video screens at the ground in the city's west.
The winning captain from the 1999 World Cup, John Eales, then emerged to plant a ball on the pitch before 711 children surrounded him and moved in choreographed human animation to score a try.
Fireworks and exploding shells showered the stadium in colour as tribute was paid to Australia's indigenous heritage with Aboriginal-inspired dance routines, some featuring the natural elements of earth, wind and fire.
A choir of 20 young men and women from each competing nation combined to sing the Will to Climb and the World in Union and will stay in Australia to sing their country's national anthems before each match.
Official words of welcome came from IRB chairman Dr Syd Millar, ARU president Peter Crittle and Australian Prime Minister John Howard.
The NZ union was represented by chairman Jock Hobbs, president Tane Norton and chief executive Chris Moller.
The All Blacks meanwhile were in Melbourne preparing for their opening match in Melbourne Saturday night. Halfback Justin Marshall said the team was ready, but not complacent.
"Probably the biggest threat to us in this tournament is ourselves. We respect everyone we play and we have to because we're coming up against quality teams at a cup."
