Hookers line up for World Cup

Sex workers in New Zealand expect to be rushed off their feet as 95000 sports fans arrive for the Rugby World Cup. Brothels across the country have doubled their condom orders for the tournament.

"It's going to be very busy - tens of thousands of visitors, predominantly men, and many of them looking for some type of sexual activity whilst they are here," brothel operator Mary Brennan said.

Brennan, a dominatrix who runs a bondage brothel in Wellington, and is known as Madam Mary to her clients, said she had already received advance bookings from South Africa, England, Ireland and Canada.

"The English are known to be particularly deviant," she said, citing the public school background of many England rugby fans.

"Whenever I hear an English accent I know there'll be some good business there."

New Zealand introduced some of the world's most liberal prostitution laws eight years ago, when sex work was decriminalised, allowing brothels and street girls to operate legally.

New Zealand Prostitutes' Collective co-ordinator Catherine Healy said many visitors during the September 9 to October 23 tournament would be surprised at how openly the industry operates.

"Paying for sex in this country isn't against the law," she said.

"There isn't that whole subterfuge where people say it's a massage parlour, an escort agency, or we're just talking."

She said there were about 3500 prostitutes working in New Zealand and all the signs were that business would be brisk during the World Cup.

"We've organised to have condom supplies doubled throughout the period. That took a bit of work with the condom companies," she said. "The brothels are doubling up on their orders and getting ready. In our warehouse they're stacked from the floor to the ceiling."

Like any executive, Brennan has a business card, only this one lists services such as "maid training", "dungeon hire", "domination", "wrestling" and "cross-dressing".

Brennan, along with many other brothel operators, has been looking for extra staff for the tournament, but said: "We're very exclusive, so we're very, very picky about the ladies we have working for us."