Or at least that was how Irish national David Flannery saw it yesterday.
"Storms, grey weather, I feel very welcome," Mr Flannery said shortly after arriving in Dunedin for tonight’s Ireland All Blacks test.
"It felt like we are going to win tomorrow because even the weather was welcoming us in."
When pushed for a prediction for tonight’s match though, the man from Castlebar, County Mayo changed his tune.
"We’re going to get hammered," he said.
"Who cares, mate? There’s good drink, there’s good craic and I love New Zealand people."
Mr Flannery arrived in New Zealand on July 1 from Canberra with his Australian wife Tiffany Reynolds-Flannery.
The couple were touring the country following the "lads" and they were enjoying the camaraderie from rugby fans they met.
New Zealanders took rugby matches very seriously, but once they won they became very good natured, Mr Flannery said.
It has been 20 years since the All Blacks last hosted Ireland in Dunedin and that match did not go so well.
First five-eighth Andrew Mehrtens called the match ball a pig.
And on a bitterly cold and frosty night at Carisbrook, a crowd of 30,000 booed the home team as they left the field.
The rancid 15-6 victory obviously did not meet with expectations. It probably did not help that there were 13 Canterbury players in the run-on side.
Tonight’s game should go much better.
Forsyth Barr Stadium has a roof for a start and that is just as well because the forecast is a little bleak.
Ireland has also emerged as the All Blacks’ No 1 rival. The Irish have won three of the last six games between the teams.
But the visitors were well beaten 42-19 in game one of the three-game series. The All Blacks ran in six tries at Eden Park last weekend.
Highlanders halfback Aaron Smith rediscovered his touch and provided some Rolls-Royce service behind an increasingly dominant pack.
There will be a lot of interest to see if the veteran can continue that form, but equally Folau Fakatava’s debut will be keenly anticipated.
The 22-year-old No 9 has been named on the bench and sparkled mid-week when talking about making his debut.
