Christchurch’s new stadium and Nations Championship format outshine All Blacks in first big test

Monday, 6 July 2026

ANALYSIS: Come on the Cake Tin, over to you Eden Park. Can any other New Zealand rugby venue match Christchurch’s new stadium for atmosphere and ambience?

One NZ Stadium surely pipped the All Blacks’ two-try world class stars Will Jordan and Cam Roigard to the ‘player’ of the match award for Saturday’s thrilling 34-32 win over France.

Te Kaha - as Cantabs called it - has only been open for 10 weeks but it has already set the bar at Olympic high jump height as Aotearoa’s veritable field of dreams.

There is simply no vibe to beat it.

Spectators are packed so close to the pitch they can almost hear the lineout calls and players feed off the energy from the stands.

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The central city location is a winner. Tills were trilling and eftpos machines pinging in hospo haunts pre-and-post match. For Te Kaha visitors, going to Church is as likely to mean a pint at the Worcester St hostelry as a quick prayer for an All Blacks victory at the Cardboard Cathedral.

Te Kaha’s glowing hues lit up the Mataraki season sky as 30,000 - its biggest sporting audience yet - crammed in to see the All Blacks open Dave Rennie’s coaching tenure in style, if not substance.

Wellington’s Hnry Stadium (34,500) and Auckland’s Eden Park (50,000) may fit more fans than Te Kaha, but they will struggle to match its zeitgeist.

It already appears Crusaders chief executive Colin Mansbridge’s cheeky claim that Te Kaha will become “our national stadium” was no idle boast. Christchurch is light (show) years ahead of the pack.

Saturday’s show may have been Rennie’s coaching bow, but it was Christchurch’s night.

Crusaders hooker Codie Taylor has led the haka many times, but rarely with such fervour. The 107-cap veteran almost lost his voice as he belted out the Kapa o Pango lyrics.

Then there was Will of the Wisp Jordan. The Crusaders favourite, back from injury, quipped mid-week that Roigard had played more games at Te Kaha than he had.

But he delivered a home ground masterclass, carving off a team-high 63m in attack and snaring two tries to move to 47 - two behind All Blacks record holder Doug Howlett.

Jordan would make any World XV - the only issue for Rennie is whether he's better at the wing or at fullback. It’s a debate that is likely to linger. Damian McKenzie started strongly at No 15, but blotted his copybook with some unnecessary errors.

Canterbury lock Sam Darry had his best game in All Black colours and an unexpected debut to young Crusaders lock Jamie Hannah completed a memorable night for parochial punters.

Hannah - a late call-up for Patrick Tuipulotu - told reporters it was “unreal’’ to get his first cap at home. He said the nerves settled as the All Blacks ran out, unlike fellow debutant Fehi Fineanganofo, who admitted he was “spewing in the toilets at halftime”.

The other big winner on the night was the new Nations Championships format on a weekend where rugby awoke to the fact that sport at this level is entertainment, first and foremost.

The elite 12-team competition began with a bang with 54 tries scored and 371 points produced across the six opening weekend games - at an average scoreline of 37-26 per match.

Having Nations Championship points at stake added more frisson to the fixtures than the traditional mid-year friendlies - and the fans benefited.

Yes, there was an element that defence is the structure Venues Ōtautahi affix advertising signs to, but no-one was complaining after nine tries at Te Kaha.

“That’s the least amount of box kicks I’ve done all year,’’ Roigard told Sky TV. “I think that’s probably a good sign for New Zealanders. They love to see attacking rugby and we’ve got the confidence and the players to do so…”

Still, there were some caveats.

The All Blacks edged a second-string France side, who fielded just four Six Nations regulars and some new caps.

The contest proved clearly that France’s Top 14 is a step ahead of Super Rugby as a breeding ground for test talent.

Ireland in a fortnight and four tests against South Africa will be a much better barometer.