Jericho Rock Archer
(Top row from left to right) Heber Delaney, Cathy O’Neil, Shane O’Neil, (Front row from left to right) Freya O’Neil and Jodie O’Neil traveled from Australia to New Zealand for the series.
Green is the new black for Wellington as Irish rugby fans pack the capital for the All Blacks take on Ireland in one of the most anticipated exhibition games of recent years.
Dubliners Heber Delaney and the O’Neil family, consisting of Cathy, Freya, Jodie and Shane, will don green hats and clover coats as they walk into Sky Stadium.
The gang of five, all big rugby fans heading to the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, flew from Sydney to New Zealand for the series, while one of their friends flew in from Ireland for the occasion.
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Delaney, who has lived in Australia for more than two decades, missed Ireland’s first win in New Zealand last week in Dunedin. He was gutted, but hoped for a good result tonight.
“We will be happier if we win,” he said.
Jericho Rock Archer
Heber Delaney missed the historic second test in Dunedin when Ireland won for the first time in New Zealand, but is hoping to deliver similar results tonight.
The influx of Irish rugby fans has led to Wellington catering owners planning a big Saturday night.
D4 owner Dermot Murphy predicted the bar, which has three Irish beers on tap, is in for a huge weekend.
“Over the weekend we were able to sell 30 barrels of Guinness, which is about 1500 liters.”
Originally from Dublin (D4 is Dublin’s postcode), he said it had been a rough couple of years for hospitality, but having the Irish rugby team in town for two games was a big boost for Wellington’s bars.
Darren O’Mahoney, Augie Williams and James Horgan, enjoying a Friday afternoon beer. Lifelong Irish rugby fans, now living in Australia, O’Mahoney and Horgan predicted the Irish would narrowly beat the All Blacks. Williams, from Auckland, supported the Irish, despite his Samoan heritage.
“Saturday will be unreal. It’s going to be our biggest day since the (2017) Lions tour.”
It’s also all smiles on the Sky Stadiumwhich has sold 38,000 tickets and has the ‘sold out’ sign.
Stadium director Shane Harmon predicts a “fantastic night” for the city.
Eugene Wehrly, owner of Wellington bar JJ Murphy & Co, expects nearly 800 customers Saturday night.
Because it was difficult to find enough staff, he employed people who had never played a big game at the stadium.
“Many of our employees will be on the job for the first time, so we ask people to come early and be patient and kind with our staff.”
He predicts the game will be worth $10 million to Wellington’s economy.
An Irishman himself, he visited his homeland for the first time in four years in June and is delighted to have the decisive test in Wellington.
Harmon expects a great atmosphere considering how are passionate Irish rugby fans.
Three that are sure to enjoy the game are Darren O’Mahoney, Augie Williams and James Horgan.
The trio met at a bar on Friday afternoon. O’Mahoney and Horgan, from Limerick, had flown in from Australia, where they work in construction, and had gone straight to the bar.
Rugby fans all their lives, they have followed the green jersey across Europe and looked forward to seeing their team do well in New Zealand.
Despite predicting a one-point game, O’Mahoney had no doubts that the Irish would smile when the final whistle sounds.
“Oh, we’re definitely going to celebrate. We’re going to celebrate it for at least six months.”
JUAN ZARAMA PERINIA
Dermot Murphy, from Dublin, Ireland, is the owner of Wellington bar D4. He expects to sell 30 barrels of Guinness this weekend.
Williams had flown in from Auckland in an Irish jersey. As a Samoan, he said he tended to support the underdog and was a big fan of the former Irish coach Joe Schmidt.
Kushla Mathie, who runs Jack Hackett’s Irish Pub in Wellington, expected a “noisy” Saturday night with fans glued to the big screen.
“I don’t know if we will sell as many pints as St Patrick’s Day but it will be close.”
Eugene Wehrly, owner of Wellington bar JJ Murphy & Co, expected nearly 800 customers Saturday night.
He struggled to get staff, but he said it was good for business to have Irish fans in town.
“It’s exactly the boost Wellington needs.”
Not only the bars in Wellington expect a good weekend. The Hutt Valley Irish Society, based in Lower Hutt, has the welcome mat out.
The club has about 250 members and publicity officer Bryan Mulligan says everyone is welcome.
In addition to playing cards and singing, he predicted that a lot of Guinness will be consumed.
Members particularly enjoyed Ireland’s second test win. “I expect that again.”
Rugby fans are reminded to get to the game early and dress warmly, while the MetService predicts a clear but chilly evening.