Up to 10,000 drinkers will be allowed in an expanded rugby fan zone on the Auckland waterfront, after a police request for a lower number was rejected.
Police told a hearing for a fast-track liquor licence that they would prefer the number of people in the drinking zone to be limited to 8000.
A new area on Captain Cook Wharf was set up after the fan zone on Queens Wharf was overwhelmed on opening weekend.
But extra space was not needed at the weekend when the crowd on the wharf peaked at around 12,000, about three quarters of its capacity.