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All Blacks vs Canada countdown on for rugby-mad Oita locals

Hosting teams for this year’s Rugby World Cup a dream come true for the rugby loving populations of Oita and Beppu.

It’s a sleepy seaside city tucked away on an island at the very bottom of Japan.

Among the ancient shrines sitting next to industrial looking buildings, locals amble their way through the quiet streets going about their daily routine.

Holding five Rugby World Cup matches in a small place like Oita city on Kyushu Island might seem like an odd choice for organisers to make.

Why Beppu, a small town about a 20-minute drive from Oita, was chosen as a training camp for the All Blacks has been a question on many lips as well.

With a population of nearly 500,000, the sea port city and its neighbour Beppu, with a population of just over 120,000, are both tiny compared to Tokyo and Yokohama, which are expected to draw tens of thousands to World Cup matches over the next month.

But as you walk through the streets of Oita city it becomes clear why they were given hosting rights for three pool matches and two quarters finals.

From mannequins dressed in rugby jerseys of the teams playing here to giant papier mache of rugby players and flags from all nations taking part in the tournament flying throughout the city - rugby fever has hit the city.

Rugby is not just a sport here, it’s a passion.

Many children are introduced to the sport from primary school and many go on to play up until university. 

To become one of the host cities for the Rugby World Cup the people of Oita organised a petition which received over 120,000 signatures from rugby-mad locals.

For the locals of Beppu, hosting the training camp for the All Blacks is a dream come true

Nearly 30 years after the first Rugby World Cup champions came to the island to teach rugby to locals, a new generation coming to play a World Cup match has set the small city abuzz.

Just three days out from Oita’s first pool match – New Zealand vs Canada – locals have already begun celebrating with the opening of a month-long rugby fair in the centre of the city yesterday.

Thousands queue at stalls selling food from New Zealand, Wales and Canada while massive screens throughout the city play ongoing matches.

Nearly 40,000 people are expected to watch New Zealand take on Canada this Wednesday.

How to watch guide here

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