All Blacks v Fiji: USA win as San Diego puts on a show

The match had all the ingredients for a memorable sporting event.

The world-class All Blacks, with their most passionate (and often critical) fans, taking on the loyal and determined Fijian team, in front of many American sports fans still baffled by the lack of protective gear in rugby. It was a refreshing change from the usual New Zealand rugby scene.

The All Blacks’ 47-5 victory was an achievement that delighted both the fans and Robertson.

From the start, the majority of the 33,217 spectators made it clear who they were there to see. Their roars erupted for 2023 World Rugby Player of the Year and New Zealand vice-captain Ardie Savea as he was announced in the starting line-up. The cheers grew even louder when the All Blacks began their haka.

For the players themselves, it was a shame that they could not see how special they were to their international fans. At the All Blacks merchandise stalls, queues of up to 100 metres long formed on three corners of the stadium.

A local explained to me that American sports fans aren’t obsessed with winning, and local teams don’t need to get results to be commercially successful. Camaraderie and a great in-game experience keep fans coming back – and as you walked down the concourse, you certainly felt that way.

The atmosphere was unmatched by any current stadium in New Zealand. If there is one positive to come out of the All Blacks’ trip to San Diego, it is the feedback they can contribute to the debate about the stadium in Auckland.

The brand-new stadium—home to the San Diego State Aztecs football team and the San Diego Wave National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team—strike a fine balance between luxury and casual sports viewing. In the stands, it didn’t matter what seat you could afford: nearly every seat in the house offered a good view.

For those who wanted to experience something different, there was the opportunity to watch the match on big screens, while chatting and drinking cocktails in one of the various bars, clubs and on the beach chairs that were spread around the hall.

But the best view was from the VIP guests, like NFL star Todd Gurley, who were parked on the rooftop pier, which looked like a diving board.

Other locals told me that this stadium is the pinnacle of all American sports venues, but noted that many other stadiums also tend toward this high level.

The food was as you would expect: corn dogs, cotton candy, oversized bags of popcorn, hamburgers, and large cans of beer.

But those in attendance with a New Zealand bank account will likely have to pay for it the next day: a can costs about US$16 (US$26).

I got a taste of the cultural differences between Aotearoa and the United States when I encountered one of the many groups tailgating in the parking lot before the game. The Kiwi-American whānau invited me to share their fresh kai, with prawns, crayfish and corn on the cob.

Americans seem to turn a sporting event into a day full of activities. There are activities and food carts outside the stadium hours before the stadium doors even open.

There was very little shouting or drunken behaviour throughout the night, unlike what you might encounter in New Zealand. The stands were kept tidy and well respected. Fans were even diligent about separating their rubbish into landfills, recycling bins and compost bins!

The most disappointing thing for the American fans was that they couldn’t sing Dave Dobbyn’s song Piece of heaven when it sounded through the speakers in the second half.

New Zealand debutant Sam Darry said it was a great experience to be part of.

“Americans love this sport and American Kiwis and people here know how to really support you,” Darry said.

“Of course there are times when the game is stopped, but the fans just keep cheering, keep being damn happy to be there and just have a great time.”

All Blacks winger Caleb Clarke joked that the fans were sometimes overly passionate.

“There was a point where I was shouting at Billy (Proctor) and Wallace (Sititi) and they couldn’t hear me and I was about 10 metres away from them. I was like, ‘Gosh, shut up for about 10 seconds’,” Clarke laughed.

Clarke said playing this important match was an important step in growing the sport in other parts of the world.

“The Fijians have that Fijian flair when they play – so when they come to a place like America, where they don’t see a lot of international rugby, (they get to see) the flashy side that… the Fijians bring. And then we also get the chance to showcase our culture with the haka.

“I know this is probably one thing Americans know about New Zealanders: the All Blacks and the haka.

“It’s just very special and when I talk to some of the supporters they don’t know what’s going on but they love the atmosphere.”

Bonnie Jansen is a multimedia journalist on the NZME sports team. She is a football commentator and co-host of the Football fever podcast and was part of the Te Rito internship program before becoming a full-time journalist.