Fireworks were set off from Auckland's Skytower, four buildings in the CBD and barges in the harbour (pic: Dylan Moran)
New Zealand showed its face to the world in a Rugby World Cup opening ceremony that featured music, haka, dance and, of course, football.
The half-hour ceremony on Friday night, staged before the tournament's first match between the All Blacks and Tonga at Eden Park in Auckland, welcomed the world to the country.
It began with the Maori myth of separation of the earth and sky, after which large stylised sails portrayed the arrival of travellers from the four corners of the globe.
National kapa haka champions Te Matarae i Orehu of Rotorua performed a spirited challenge before schoolboy Ethan Bai brought a huge cheer from the capacity 60,000 crowd.
Bai, wearing red and black as reminder of earthquake-hit Canterbury, ran out with a white almost glowing ball, and started a choreographed fantasy of a rugby game.
After a giant world cup was wheeled out, the tournament's anthem, World in Union, rang out in a vibrant finale.
Prime Minister John Key continued the message of welcome in a short speech, before International Rugby Board chairman Bernard Lapasset declared the tournament open.
The ceremony, featuring about 1000 performers and elaborate special effects, was a big contrast with the one that raised the curtain when New Zealand hosted the inaugural World Cup in 1987.
Then, a hastily-prepared event with a small budget featured marching girls, local schoolchildren and former All Black Waka Nathan, who ran a lap in front of sparse stands.
NZN