New Zealand World Cup cities hit by heavy snowfall

New Zealanders are desperately hoping it will not be another white World Cup in the southern hemisphere following England's success in Australia eight years ago, but is the cold snap enveloping much of the country an omen? Large parts of New Zealand, including Dunedin, the venue for three of England's four pool games, are a blanket of white after the heaviest snowfall for 50 years, which has closed roads and, for a period, the airport, and disrupted power supply. Wellington, where Wales play South Africa in their opening game on 11 September, has been hit by heavy snow in what has been described as a once-in-50-years Polar blast. Downtown Auckland has also experienced snowfall for the first time since the 1930s and other World Cup venues Hamilton, New Plymouth and Invercargill have also been hit. The bad weather is expected for at least the next couple of days.