I recall getting up at the crack of dawn to watch the 1983 British Lions play the All Blacks at Eden Park on television. Captained by Ciaran Fitzgerald the Lions lost the series 4- nil. What sticks in my mind though is the footage from Eden Park where the spectators, to a person, seemed to be be wearing ‘agricultural’ coats and a bobble hat and the houses surrounding the stadium seemed to be exclusively single storey buildings constructed of wood with a corrugated iron roof.

Little did I know that twenty-four years later I would be in the fortunate position of working for the main sponsor of the New Zealand Rugby Union. Smiley face. And, as a newby in the country and the company I’d be given 2 x Platinum Club entry tickets for a Beldisloe Cup match (All Blacks v Australia) which would determine the outcome of the Tri  Nations if the All Blacks could avenge their defeat to Australia earlier in the tournament. Diolch yn fawr iawn Telecom New Zealand.

As in 1983, Eden Park is still a mish-mash of stands build at various times many of them open to the elements and some with very peculiar viewing angles. The Panasonic stand in particular  appears to be an odd triangular after-thought.

The fact it is hammering down with rain seems entirely fitting as it dawns on me that I am about to fulfil  a previously unrecognised lifetime ambition, I am going to get soaked-through watching a full-on test match at Eden Park.

The Platinum Club tickets provide entry to a hospitality area where Conrad Smith and Sitiveni Sivivat (both current All Black squad members) and guest speaker Dan Crowley (the World Cup winning Wallaby prop, undercover police officer and author of Undercover Prop). The pre-match atmosphere is very convivial.

On our way to our seats we shake hands with Nigel Owens (the Welsh ref) who is warming up. Our Platinum Club seats are very close to the action and just outside the main stand’s canopy. As we sit down it absolutely buckets down for  5 mins and we are soaked-through in a satisfying, ambition fulfilling sort of way.

The game is very entertaining and All Blacks win after a strong 2^nd half performance which featured a very effective and weather conditions appropriate pick and drive game. The game ends 26-12, New Zealand take all the trophies home and we squelch into a taxi. What a great evening’s entertainment!!