The three Rugby World Cup games to be played in Dunedin next year will all kick off at night, with the city hosting the final game of pool play.
Organisers revealed the kick-off times of the 48 games yesterday and with television audiences in mind, most games will be played at night.
The first game in Dunedin - to be played either at the new Forsyth Barr Stadium or Carisbrook on September 14 - is between Scotland and Georgia and will start at 7.30pm.
The match 10 days later, between England and the playoff winner, will start at 6pm.
The playoff team will be either Uruguay or Romania. These two sides meet in a two-leg decider this November.
The final match in Dunedin is between Ireland and Italy on October 2 and will kick off at 8.30pm.
This will be the last match in pool play, the last of four matches to be played throughout New Zealand that day.
The All Blacks play tests on two of the days Dunedin hosts matches. On September 24, the All Blacks will play France at Eden Park at 8.30pm. On October 2, the All Blacks will take on Canada in Wellington at 3.30pm.
The two games in Invercargill - which will involve the playoff team taking on Scotland and Argentina - will be played during the day.
Rugby New Zealand 2011 Ltd chief executive Martin Snedden said the kick-off times had been well balanced.
"If New Zealand is to make the most of the platform the Rugby World Cup gives us to showcase our country to the world, then we need to ensure we maximise the global television audience for key matches," Snedden said.
He said the agreement with Rugby World Cup Ltd over kick-off times meant hosting regions could now get on and promote themselves to the world and help fans get on with planning their World Cup experience.
Ten of the 48 matches will be played in the afternoon, while a further 12 matches will begin by 6pm, and another seven at 7.30pm.
The rest of the matches will start at 8pm or later. The semifinals and final will start at 9pm.
IRB chief executive Mike Miller said last year the later the kick-off times in New Zealand meant more advertising dollars could be made in the northern hemisphere.
Dunedin City Council marketing communications agency manager Debra Simes said the kick-off times were as expected and would be good for Dunedin.
People could come into the Octagon after the games and watch other matches, or go to the Octagon before the game.
The council had developed a brief and concept for a fan zone in the Octagon and had started an informal consultation process with key stakeholders and other parties.
The fan zone would not be permanent but would include big screens and would be up for the days when the Dunedin matches and other key games were on.
A design was ongoing and was likely to be released early next week.
Dunedin will get a view of the World Cup trophy next month when former Otago and All Black captain Taine Randell brings the William Webb Ellis Cup to the city on October 7, as part of a promotion.
WORLD CUP - KEY GAMES
DUNEDIN
• Wednesday, September 14: Scotland v Georgia, 7.30pm
• Saturday September 24: England v play-off winner, 6pm
• Sunday October 2: Ireland v Italy, 8.30pm
INVERCARGILL
• Saturday, September 10: Scotland v play-off winner, 1pm
• Saturday September 17: Argentina v play-off winner, 3.30pm
ALL BLACKS
• Friday, September 9, v Tonga, Auckland, 8.30pm
• Friday, September 16, v Japan, Hamilton, 8pm
• Saturday, September 24, v France, Auckland, 8.30pm
• Sunday, October 2, v Canada, Wellington, 3.30pm
- Semifinals and final to be played at Eden Park and start at 9pm
