When Super Rugby Aotearoa begins in Dunedin tomorrow night, New Zealand will be home to the first rugby watching crowd on the planet since professional competitions were suspended due to Covid-19.
This week's move to Alert Level 1 means that fans can flock in their droves to both Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium tomorrow night, and Auckland's Eden Park on Sunday.
Although it won't be the first sporting event to allow crowds after the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, that honour going to Serbian football's cup competition, it will be the first time rugby kicks off again.
Appearing on TVNZ 1's Breakfast this morning, commentator and reporter Scotty Stevenson hailed the significance of the moment both for New Zealand and the global sporting community.
"This is a world first, this is the first professional rugby game with crowds to return post Covid," he said.
"It's a history making moment for New Zealand Rugby - I know that they are very thankful to the five million New Zealanders who made enormous sacrifices over the last three months.
"That is what allowed this to happen, and how wonderful to happen on our shores."
Tickets have quickly been snapped up by fans for the new competition, over 30,000 already sold for Sunday's match at Eden Park.
Fans will be wanting to get in quick, with the new competition just 10 rounds long, with no finals or playoffs.
"It shows that scarcity is a great marketing ploy," adds Stevenson.
"It has been a long time since people have been genuinely excited about a game of footy - or two games of footy I should say."
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