Snedden: Rugby World Cup organisers 'very well prepared'

With the 2011 Rugby World Cup just a month away, Martin Snedden, the head of New Zealand's Rugby World Cup organising committee, has declared preparations are on track for the event.

On Saturday, Auckland's Eden Park Stadium passed its final test ahead of the 2011 Rugby World Cup by hosting New Zealand's 30-14 win over Australia in front of a crowd of nearly 55,000.

While Snedden urged Auckland's transport authority to take a closer look at a glitch that delayed some fans from leaving the stadium by train, the signs were largely positive considering the game marked Auckland rail's first test for a capacity Eden Park crowd.

As the opening match of the Rugby World Cup on 9th September draws closer, Snedden told AFP "we're feeling very well prepared."

Snedden remains optimistic about projections of 85,000 international visitors to the country despite New Zealand's geographic isolation and the current turmoil in the world economy, adding "one of our biggest challenges is that New Zealand is stuck away at the end of the world with really only Australia as our closest neighbour and a long way away from some of the international rugby markets that we've been targeting.

"But we've been absolutely delighted with the number of people who have committed to coming to New Zealand."

On Saturday, the country's hub for the competition's police operations also underwent its final test with emergency services staff, military personnel and representatives from government departments gathered at the police headquarters in Wellington to monitor the Test match at Eden Park. Rugby World Cup police commander Grant O'Fee said policing of the game had "worked very well."

Revenue from Rugby World Cup ticket sales has been predicted to reach NZ$268 millionand the Reserve Bank of New Zealand has estimated that the influx of tourists will give the country's economy a 0.33% boost.

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