Anyone who didn’t feel excited for and proud of Christchurch over the long weekend might need to check if they’ve still got a pulse.

Because what a ripper.

And anyone who thinks our brand new One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha isn’t going to be Christchurch's greatest asset then, maybe, they were at home all weekend and didn’t see what was going on.

Thousands of visitors in town for the Super Rugby Super Round. Numbers thrown around say 14,000 people visited - 4,000 of them from Australia.

ChristchurchNZ had estimated it would pump $6 million into the economy. But it’s now saying that it will probably be more than that.

I’m in no doubt about that. I see the church pub alone sold 50 kegs of beer on Friday night. We did some numbers over dinner last night and worked out that that would have been at least $50,000 in beer sales.

At one pub. On one night. That doesn’t count the beer sold on Saturday and sunday.

Naturally, Crusaders boss Colin Mansbridge is pushing for Christchurch to host the Super Round again. I think he’s got a multi-year deal in his sights.

And, crucially, Super Rugby Chief Executive Jack Mesley isn’t ruling it out.

Although, he’s hardly going to poo-poo it when he’s here and everyone’s on a high because of how well it went.

But he did say before jumping on the plane back to Sydney that Christchurch definitely has a head start over other New Zealand cities.

Which we do. Tell that to the Mayor of Dunedin, though, who is saying this morning that they’re going to be looking into the viability of hosting the Super Round in Dunners.

One ting that occurred to me at the weekend, was who needs Russell Coutts and Sail GP now we’ve got this brilliant stadium facility?

Which is why I think it is going to be Christchurch's single greatest asset. If it isn’t already.

I know that Friday night, especially, was a milestone. It was the end of a very long wait. It was another one of those symbolic and emotional moments when we realise just how far we have come as a city.

And I know not every Crusaders game at One New Zealand Stadium is necessarily going to attract 25,000 people.

And I know that not everyone is a rugby fan.

But you can’t deny the good the Super Round did for our city over the weekend, and the good the stadium is going to continue doing.

Just imagine what it’s going to be like next month when Six60 headlines the first big concert at the stadium. Which is sold out.

You imagine what it’s going to be like when the Warriors play here in June. Again, another sell-out.

And imagine what it’s going to be like in July when the All Blacks play France under the roof. That match is well on its way to being sold out too.

So the weekend was just the start. And what a brilliant start it was too.

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Ahead of the first fully ticketed event at One New Zealand Stadium, John MacDonald caught up with Greg May, owner of central city bar, Smash Palace.

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Ahead of the first fully ticketed event at One New Zealand Stadium, Venues Ōtautahi CEO took John MacDonald on a tour of One New Zealand Stadium.

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Make no mistake, today is a massive day for Christchurch.

Normally, you’d say the official opening - when the ‘hoi-polloi’ gather to cut ribbons and make speeches - is massive.

But today’s the day. Because today, the stadium becomes ours.

And I’m with Mayor Phil Mauger who is saying that it has been worth every penny.

It’s a spend that not everyone has been and will be happy about. But as the mayor is also saying today, he doesn't think people realise yet the benefits it’s going to bring the city.

Primarily, he’s talking about the economic benefits. And who can argue with the benefits from this weekend alone?

25,000 people at the stadium tonight. Tens of thousands more tomorrow and Sunday.

And, as ChristchurchNZ boss Ali Adams is saying today, the stadium will bring people here who will leave with a changed view of the city and some of them will come back. Not just for another visit - but to study, work and invest here.

But it’s also the social benefits that the stadium is going to bring us.

It’s a bit of a cliche - but, isn’t it amazing, how things change over time?

I can still vividly remember going to the old AMI stadium at Lancaster Park with my mate, Adam, taking our two first-borns to see the Crusaders play under the lights.

My daughter and my mate Adam's son were preschoolers and we had it all organised with enough snacks to keep them happy and enough clothes to keep them warm and all of that.

Sometimes, of course, half a game would be enough for the wee ones, and we’d shoot off home at half time.

I can still see the photo. My little girl in her black and red poncho and black and red beanie.

Fast forward to today and it’s the kids arranging to take me to the big opening game.

Buying me a ticket for Christmas, telling me the social plan beforehand and afterwards. Which I suspect will see me heading home to bed long before they’re ready to call it a night.

And just like Lancaster Park or Jade stadium or AMI stadium (whatever you want to call it), I know that our new stadium is going to be the place where future generations of Cantabrians fall in love with the thrill of rowdy togetherness.

Because this isn’t just a massive pile of concrete and steel in the centre of town. This is going to be the place where we will celebrate the wins. Together.

Where we’ll accept the losses. Together.

Where we’ll be moved by the artists and performers who will come to Christchurch from all over the world. We’ll do all of that together.

And if you’re going to any of the super round matches this weekend - or whenever you end up going - I guarantee that’s one of the first things you will feel.

I know that because, even at the crusaders training run last week, the overwhelming thing that got me as I walked through those shiny new doors was “here we all are again”.

15 years later - here we all are again.

And that’s why I am absolutely fizzing today.

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Ahead of the Super Round weekend in Christchurch, John MacDonald caught up with former All Black and Crusaders legend, Dan Carter.

They discuss Dan's time as a Crusader during the earthquakes, what he reckons of the new One NZ stadium, and the 'Every Drop Challenge' that Dan is hosting at half time on Super Round Sunday.

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With One NZ Stadium finally opening its doors ahead of the Super Rugby Super Round, John MacDonald caught up with current Speaker of the House and former Christchurch Regeneration Minister, Gerry Brownlee.

They discussed his role in getting the stadium off the ground by convincing cabinet of its importance for Cantabrians, and if he thinks the stadium has matched his expectations from over a decade ago.

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With the Super Round days away, planning to get to the new One New Zealand Stadium will be a necessity for the over 25,000 fans who will be coming to the first event.

Environment Canterbury Chair Dr Deon Swiggs' joined John MacDonald to discuss the "Event Direct" initiative, providing shuttle buses to and from pickup points across the city.

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A dog’s breakfast. That’s the only way I can describe the National Party’s handling of the speculation over Christopher Luxon’s leadership.

Because “nothing to see here” never works. What’s more, I just don’t believe what they’re saying.

Luxon called the confidence vote yesterday and came out of the caucus meeting saying he had the backing of his MPs and that was that.

He wouldn’t answer any questions from reporters after he read out his statement. But he did take the opportunity to fire a broadside at them, saying he was disappointed with the recent media coverage and wouldn’t be engaging in “speculation and rumour”.

But, as the likes of Thomas Coughlan from the NZ Herald have been quick to point out, this wasn’t made up by reporters. What was reported was what was actually happening. National MPs talking out of school. Telling the media what they really think of Luxon.

Not that we should be surprised by this misguided attack on the media. Because the reason this has been such a dog’s breakfast, is that the party and its leader have been in complete denial. Especially, since last Friday.
That was when the NZ Herald first reported on party whip Stuart Smith having no luck reaching his leader to tell him that some of his MPs weren’t happy with his performance.

And it got really weird yesterday when Smith himself - who had told One News on Monday night that he was definitely going to be at yesterday’s caucus meeting providing the storm in Wellington didn’t muck up his travel plans - was a no-show.

He said on Monday night he’d been trying to fly to Wellington but had been delayed by the weather. But he did intend to get to the capital on Tuesday morning.

Then next morning, he announced in a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s office that he wouldn’t be attending because he had a “longstanding personal appointment”.

I’m sorry. But that’s just nonsense. Because, if you’re the party whip, it’s your job to be at caucus meetings and you don’t go making longstanding personal appointments that clash with the caucus schedule.

What’s more, this is the guy who was saying on Monday night he’d be there. Then he wasn’t. Because of this longstanding appointment.

This is the sort of Keystone Cops stuff that might be acceptable from an opposition party, but not from a party in government.

A party in government that has never been shy of picking holes in Jacinda Ardern’s promise that her government was going to be the most open and transparent government in the history of governments.

It wasn’t, of course. But how rich of National to criticise Labour and be just as smoke and mirrors on it.

Because, for me, this isn’t just about the National Party. This is about the government. It’s not just about a party leader. It’s about the Prime Minister.

That’s why “nothing to see here” doesn’t cut it.

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