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Ayshford: Pacific RLWC games in NZ could reach 'whole other stratosphere’
Sport Nation • October 19th, 2026 10:31 am
Tonga perform a Sipi Tau to open their Rugby League World Cup Campaign | Photo: Joel Carrett/AAP
Former Warrior and Sport Nation commentator Blake Ayshford believes bringing more Pacific Rugby League World Cup games to New Zealand would further unlock even greater crowds and atmosphere.
Ayshford pointed to the excitement around the first Samoan and Tongan matches last weekend, where New Zealand streets were riddled with supporters and representative flags.
“It's been amazing and even in Papamoa I know there was a Samoan parade an hour before the kickoff. There's parades everywhere,” he told Sport Nation’s Scotty & Izzy.
Samoa v France at CommBank for the Rugby League World Cup | Photo: David Neilson/Photosport
Ayshford believes Friday's Samoa and France clash, which drew 13,174 fans to Sydney’s CommBank Stadium, could have attracted a much larger crowd if it had been played in New Zealand.
“If you watch that Samoan game, do you think if Samoa played France anywhere in New Zealand, that it would have been sold out?
“That Samoa v France game, that looked pretty empty to me and if you put that at Go Media Stadium, I reckon you get close to 20,000 there.
“I just think that it's amazing what the Pacific Island nations are doing and they can still get even bigger.”
That was the case in 2017 - the Auckland stadium was painted red when it hosted a Tonga v England semi-final that attracted a sell-out crowd of 30,000 fans.
Tongan fans painted Mt Smart Stadium red in 2017 for the RLWC semi-final against England | Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photo
He urged the NRL to consider scheduling more games in New Zealand, suggesting the opportunity could take the tournament’s reach to another level.
“Like the NRL and (Peter) V’Landys and that, if they bought some more games to New Zealand, I just think it would go to a whole other stratosphere.”
Listen to the full interview below:
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