Makos ready for take-off [Nelson Mail]

A plane-load of loyal Tasman Makos fans is set to fly to Saturday's NPC final in New Plymouth.

The Tasman Rugby Unions has chartered a 50-seat plane and by this morning all but four seats were taken.

"I'm very happy to have the plane going up," said TRU commercial and marketing Les Edwards.

"It will be a block in the stand in red and blue making a helluva lot of noise and the players will know they are there."

Sponsors, fans from Nelson and Marlborough, players' family, coaches' wives and Nelson MP Nick Smith will be on the Air New Zealand flight that will leave on Friday night.

Despite a shortage of accommodation in New Plymouth they had managed to find places to stay with family, friends or in accommodation outside the city.

Along with Hammerhead supporters, Edwards estimates 150 Makos fans will be at the game which kicks off at Yarrow Stadium at 7.35pm on Saturday. "That will be great," he said.

Demand for seats at the stadium was high for the ITM Cup premiership final.

"The provinces have never won before and it's very exciting," said Edwards.

Another charter flight is also being organised in Marlborough. Avid Makos supporter Geoff Hammond, of Blenheim, has been working to put a charter flight together from Marlborough Airport so that he and other fans can get to the game.

"I've been talking to the pilot [from Ridge Air] for a few weeks and I said if we make the final I'm going to make this charter happen," he said.

He has secured ground tickets for 10 people, including the pilot and co-pilot who are big Makos fans.

Makos fans who want to wish the players good luck should be at Nelson Airport at 8.30pm tomorrow.

- The Nelson Mail