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Additional air-cooling measures at Christchurch's One New Zealand Stadium went unused during the long weekend's sport action due to player safety, venue operators say.
It comes as the new central city stadium catches heat from some spectators, staff and players over the blistering temperatures and a supposed lack of ventilation inside the closed arena, particularly during Monday afternoon's NPC final.
St John confirmed it treated six people for heat-related problems after the mercury climbed inside the sold-out venue. It was the third consecutive day Christchurch soared into the mid-to-late 20s.
Venues Ōtautahi chief executive Caroline Harvie-Teare told RNZ ventilation inside the venue on Labour Day wasn't where it needed to be for an early afternoon kickoff.
"It was in the hottest part of the day, and it felt hot in there. [Nobody] can tell me otherwise, it was hot," she said.
"The ventilation that we would have expected, which was better on Sunday, wasn't really there on Monday, despite it being quite windy outside."
Overhead fans installed on the ceiling had received mixed reviews over their effectiveness.
Harvie-Teare said although the fans were not cooling fans, they had a "cooling effect".
"Any breeze that you get, it makes a difference. And when we've had them going, particularly throughout the winter, it makes a material difference."
The stadium also has the option of employing misting fans before events to reduce temperatures about five degrees around the seating bowl.
The fans, however, were not used over the long weekend, Harvie-Teare said.
"If we can cool that right down before people come in, that's another option available to us.
"It wasn't over the weekend because there were some concerns putting too much moisture on the pitch would make the conditions slippery for our players.
"For concerts we'll have the turf protection down so it's a different kind of circumstance."
Harvie-Teare said it was too early to say whether there had been a design oversight before construction of the $683 million venue.
"We just need to do a little bit more work on understanding whether what we're experiencing aligns with the design.
"And then we can determine whether there is actually an issue.
"But we're clearly experiencing conditions in that building that are outside of what we would have expected to see."
It was a bumper sporting weekend in Christchurch over Labour weekend - following Saturday's cricket T20 international between New Zealand and India at Hagley Oval, One New Zealand Stadium hosted a Rugby League World Cup double-header and the NPC final across consecutive days in front of sold-out crowds.
A security guard who worked the long weekend said the heat inside the sun-baked venue was extreme and unsafe, claiming some spectators "looked faint".
Meanwhile, a stadium worker who did not wish to be named, told RNZ the temperature fluctuated dramatically in the venue.
The man did not work over the long weekend, but noted temperatures in the stadium had been a big topic of discussion among staff.
Monday's NPC decider also introduced a water break each half and an extended half-time period of 20 minutes.
This was to comply with World Rugby's heat and air quality guidelines.
According to the regulations introduced last year, an extended half-time period is required when the heat stress risk is deemed "very high".
RNZ spoke to several spectators at the final after they departed the ground.
Whilst all conceded that it was hot inside the venue on Monday, some felt the heat was manageable with appropriate attire and hydration.
One New Zealand Stadium would also host concerts by Robbie Williams and the Foo Fighters over the coming months.
