Awareness/Profile of AWs before/after Qualifier?

Awareness/Profile of AWs before/after Qualifier?

Just out of curiosity, what have you guys experienced with regards the awareness of the big match on the weekend amongst your peers?

As I have stated before, I arrived back in Dunedin with very few people realising that there was the big football game on in the weekend, or frankly not caring that it was on/what the result was.

I *had* thought things were different in Wellington, but I just read on some forums in the Arab world that Bahraini's landing in Wellington were being asked by airport officials why there was a sudden influx of Bahraini's/people in red clothing descending upon the capital. From my understanding, they also didn't think that awareness was particularly high in Wellington city (from their point of view).

I have little doubt that the result on the weekend will have a positive effect on the game and profile in New Zealand (I've said before my son wants to be a goalkeeper, and score goals with his head - future Peter Schmeichel?), but I still think there are a lot of people that have little/no interest in the code (sad from my point of view of course).

I'm speaking as a Dunedinite, and from my limited view of Wellington central. Where do you hail from and what have your experiences been among your wider social circle?

Being from Waikato/AKL and having studied and traveled around NZ as well as living with Southerners here in the UK, I have noticed that recognition of football is only really prevalent in places like CHCH, Welli, Palmy, Hamilton, Tauranga/the Mount and Auckland. 

Dunedin and the south in particular is abit of a football tragidy, being very rugby headed down there where you live my friend.