Fancy A Bang On Friday?

Circle this coming Friday 9th in your diary.
The *yawn* Rugby World Cup will open with a bang, as Auckland turns on a huge 12min.fireworks show to mark the the start of the tournament.
Auckland Mayor Len Brown says the 10hr.opening night programme will span the Viaduct Harbour and Quay St to Queens Wharf.
The programme begins at 4pm when 20 carved waka each carrying 30 people will paddle into the Viaduct Harbour. A mass haka by the 600 waka paddlers will be followed by an 80min.concert by the Finn Brothers on Queens Wharf. Dave Dobbyn will serenade the return to NZ of the rugby tournament, by singing his standard Welcome Home.
Big screens will line the waterfront area to show what is going on in other places, including Eden Park. A 20-minute opening ceremony at Eden Park will lead up to the main spectacle - the 12min.fireworks and lighting show.
Organisers claim it'll be NZ's biggest pyrotechnics display (mind you, they said that of the fireworks to herald the start of the millenium - but no-one saw those because of the low cloud!!), and landmarks and tall buildings around Auckland would be used for lighting displays. People should get to the waterfront early on Friday, because only 50,000 will be allowed into the celebrations. Anyone going to the opening game at Eden Park, kicking off at 8.30pm, should skip the waterfront celebrations and go directly to the stadium.
Dane Rumble and Midnight Youth will feature in post-match entertainment, finishing about 2am.
If you're more into taking photographs of the airborn extravaganza, you'd be better off at a vantage point on the North Shore...