More than 20,000 fans packed into Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, New Zealand, on Saturday to watch a Super Rugby game between the Otago Highlanders and the Waikato Chiefs. There was no social distancing. No required masks. People were hugging and sharing beers. It was the first time New Zealanders had been allowed back in any stadium to watch live sports, and fans were euphoric.
"Everyone has been dying for this moment," fan Iki Uele told ESPN. "Being locked down, we just needed something to vent out."
What rugby fans are experiencing in New Zealand is something that sports fans around the world can only dream of.