Inclement weather and a stinker of an All Blacks performance did not detract — too much — from a bumper weekend of atmosphere and economic activity in the South.
Bars, restaurants and accommodation venues were packed on Saturday, before a crowd of 28,191 packed Forsyth Barr Stadium to see the second test against Ireland.
Dunedin’s first top-tier test in four years proved to be memorable for the wrong reasons for home fans, though the thousands dressed in green had the night of their lives.
The All Blacks made handling errors, lost three players to red or yellow cards in the first half, and the 23-12 loss was their first in the eight tests at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
It was Ireland’s first win on New Zealand soil, and the All Blacks’ heaviest defeat in 117 years of test rugby in Dunedin, setting the scene for a dramatic series decider in Wellington this weekend.
Dunedin Venues Management Ltd chief executive Terry Davies said the match was a bit of a test run for more events in the future, as it was the first time the stadium had been at capacity since 2019.
Some things always went wrong on the night, but overall the event was brilliant with an "incredibly well behaved" crowd, Mr Davies said.
More than 1000 staff were working on the night.
The events industry would be returning to a sense of normality next year with more big events to come, Mr Davies said.
Although the Christchurch City Council was due to make a call this week on the construction of the 30,000-seat Christchurch Stadium, he did not believe the possible competitor would steal business away from Dunedin.
Forsyth Barr Stadium was one of the great venues in the southern hemisphere and it would be "incredibly competitive" with the potential Christchurch Stadium.
Hospitality Association branch president Mark Scully said the cold weather turned some people away on Friday, but business on Saturday was "awesome".
Establishments were busy throughout the day with many supporters hitting the town before the test.
The Speight’s Ale House, which he owned, traded well and was very busy.
It was common for people to hop around different bars after an event, but with the cold weather it seemed like more people were finding a spot and staying cozy, he said.
That was not necessarily bad for business, but was a different style of hospitality to a warm night.
The Irish supporters were all in great spirits following the match and he had heard of no issues around the city, he said.
The Craic and Thistle Cafe and Bar owner Claire Grenfell said business started strongly with lots of people ordering breakfast to get going.
It was a busier night than any of the other games this year and felt more like a World Cup match.
There were very few issues and she was looking forward to more nights like it, she said.
Otago Motel Association president and 538 Great King Motel owner Pete Firns said it was a very busy weekend for accommodation providers.
Most motels across the city were booked out.
He and others had seen a few late cancellations, but most of those would have been filled quickly across the city.
A police spokeswoman said there were no rugby-related arrests after the game on Saturday night. However, a "half-naked man" was arrested after entering the playing field during the game, she said.
