'Australia is with you, you do us proud'
EAMONN DUFF AND JOHN HUXLEY IN DURBAN
June 13, 2010
PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd has urged the Socceroos on to mighty deeds on the eve of their World Cup opener against Germany.
Asked by The Sun-Herald to deliver a message to the national team as they prepare for the match in Durban, South Africa, at 4.30am tomorrow, Mr Rudd wrote: ''You have a tough draw but I have no doubt you are ready, raring to go and will do the nation proud. There will be plenty of bleary eyes over the next two weeks as across the country Australians stay up and cheer you on.
''We all remember the incredible Socceroos matches four years ago and let me say to all the players, officials, support staff and spectators in South Africa for World Cup 2010 - Australia is with you.''
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott also lent his support. ''The whole country is 100 per cent behind Lucas Neill and the Socceroos,'' he said. ''We wish them well for their date with destiny.''
The wait is almost over. Four years on from the heartbreak of that last-gasp penalty goal against the Italians, hundreds of thousands of Australian fans will resume their World Cup love affair by cramming into venues across Sydney for the early morning kick-off.
Extended trading hours have been granted to pubs, clubs and restaurants but the biggest crowd will be at Darling Harbour, hosting one of only six FIFA World Cup Fan Fest sites outside South Africa.
Fans got their first taste of the venue on Friday night when it screened the opening ceremony, followed by the tournament's curtain-raiser between hosts South Africa and Mexico. A spokeswoman said the Cockle Bay Wharf precinct reached its 10,000 capacity by 11pm. Revellers were directed to the second big screen at nearby Tumbalong Park.
''It was a really good, happy, enthusiastic, warm, multicultural crowd,'' she said. Police said crowd behaviour was excellent - only six people were ejected for being drunk.
Former South African president Nelson Mandela was scheduled to attend the tournament's opening match but he cancelled the appearance after his 13-year-old great-granddaughter Zenani was killed in a road accident. Mr Rudd sent a message of condolence.
Fan Fest organisers are anticipating an even bigger crowd to build later tonight.
For the first time in Australia, Socceroo supporters can watch their heroes live at the movies - and in 3D - at Hoyts cinemas. In association with SBS, it will screen tomorrow's game at its Broadway, Blacktown and Chatswood Westfield venues.
While German fans will be cheering for their team across the city, the largest gatherings will be at the Concordia Club in Tempe and at The Rocks, where the Lowenbrau Keller will open its doors at 3.30am to host live coverage and a traditional German breakfast.
In Durban security has been stepped up at the 70,000-capacity Moses Mabhida Stadium before Australia's opening match. Extra police have been rostered, traffic-flow systems altered and fans urged to leave for the ground at least four hours before kick-off.
''People must be patient and allow plenty of time to get to their seats,'' a police spokesman said. Organisers have identified the steep approach to the open, south-western end of the stadium as a potential danger area.
The warnings follow last week's stampede, in which 16 people were injured, at a warm-up match between Nigeria and North Korea outside Makhulong Stadium in Johannesburg. World Cup officials, who did not organise the match, blamed the crush on unauthorised distribution of free tickets.
The need for strict policing was further underlined on Thursday when people were left shocked and suffering minor injuries after crowds surged to enter a free concert, already packed with 25,000 spectators, at a Fan Fest site in Cape Town.
Police reported a spate of armed attacks and robberies against World Cup visitors.
An armed man held up a busload of Chinese tourists in a shanty town. The man made off with a digital camera and mobile phone. A Chinese TV camera crew were robbed of cash and camera equipment at gunpoint outside Soccer City stadium in Soweto after the attackers smashed their car window.
Visiting journalists - two from Portugal and one from Spain - were robbed at gunpoint outside Nutbush Boma Lodge, north of Johannesburg.
Several thousand Australians fans are expected at the Socceroos' opening match. More than a thousand of them are members of the Fanatics tour party camped at the nearby Kingsmead cricket ground.
They are expected to be joined by Fanatics staying elsewhere in South Africa, and by several hundred members of the Green and Gold Army, staying in Johannesburg.
http://www.smh.com.au/world-cup-2010/world-cup-news/australia-is-with-you-you-do-us-proud-20100612-y4ku.html