BayBuzz asked: Will Rugby World Cup in Hawke’s Bay be a yawner or the event of the year?

ANNA LORCK

For the six girls in our house RWC in HB will be fantastic – it’s in our blood. We’ve already got our tickets to both home games, and after that we’re bach’a’lettes  – what bliss!
While the man of the house ventures off chasing France right through to the semi- finals, we’ll be chilling out and making the most of it. We’re already preparing – there will be plenty of shopping for black and silver and we’ll be watching all the All Black games on a huge projector screen at home.

When rugby is not on we’ll be out and about – it’ll be like one great big girls ‘trip’ doing all those things that girls get up to, and then sleeping in! No one is complaining. I made sure of a fair trade off for not going to the final game and will have just returned from a trip to Italy, with my suit bags full of designer wear and leather shoes, just before the RWC games begin.

ANDREW FRAME

Hawke’s Bay’s lead up to the 2011 Rugby World Cup has been too quiet for many, me included. Local business people have been voicing their displeasure at the effort and a lack of communication from local organisers, with large proportions of the general public still unaware of what is planned.

I foresee Hawke’s Bay people taking matters into their own hands. With individual and community effort RWC2011 WILL be the biggest party Hawke’s Bay has seen. Friends, communities and clubs getting together, partying, celebrating our region, countryand national game and showing the visitors and millions of viewers what a fantastic place we live in.

Add to that McLean Park and Napier reverberating to the sound of Gaelic passion, Nippon fervency and maybe the odd Canuck moose-call before, at and after the games and the city will regain some of the flavour and “oomph” it has been lacking.

JESSICA SOUTAR BARRON

Any excuse for a party. Someone having a birthday? ‘Do’ required. Not to celebrate growing one year older but to invite folks round, share experience, have a laugh.

Same with RWC2011. It’s an excuse to get together with people for some reason other than because there’s been a natural disaster. To extend the party metaphor, you could sit in the corner and yawn, but that’s more a reflection on you than on the event. To make it a party join the dancing, loop arms with strangers, kick up your heels, get yourself a game schedule and start backing an underdog.

RWC2011 should be a great party – it’s important not to place too much else on its shoulders. Might create a couple of jobs. May bring a few visitors to town. Really it’s just a shindig, that’s how it should be treated – not significant as in life or death, not earth shattering, but certainly not a yawn – just a party to which we’re all invited. Now if the ABs lose, of course, I reserve the right to change my tune!

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