RUGBY fever is sweeping the region as the North-East prepares to host the first of three World Cup games this weekend.

Scotland take on the mighty Springboks at St James’ Park in Newcastle at 4.45pm on Saturday afternoon, ahead of England’s crucial group clash with Australia at Twickenham.

Tens of thousands of fans from north of the border and South Africa are expected to be at the Magpies’ ground for the match - with many more expected in the city to soak up the atmosphere of both games.

Nick Forbes, leader of Newcastle City Council, said: "We are really looking forward to giving a warm Geordie welcome to rugby fans from around the world as they start to arrive in the city for the first match this weekend.

“Bringing Rugby World Cup 2015 to Newcastle is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the city on a global stage, and gives everyone a chance to experience the celebration of rugby.”

The home of Newcastle United is the second biggest sports stadium in England outside London, with a capacity of 52,409, but many more are likely to flock to the city to take part in wider celebrations.

The famous New Zealand All Blacks - who will be based in Darlington - are playing Tonga next Friday at 8pm and Scotland will play Samoa the following day at 2.30pm.

Pre-match entertainment is planned before each game, and fans are being asked to be in their seats by 30mins before kick-off.

Chief Superintendent Steve Neill, of Northumbrian Police, said: “The force has a huge amount of experience in policing large scale events and we are really looking forward to welcoming supporters from all around the world into the area.

"I can assure those coming into the city that they will receive a friendly and pleasant welcome from our officers as we are here to help people enjoy the occasion and make sure they can enjoy the games safely.”

A special Fanzone has been set up in Newcastle’s Science Central, next to St James’ Park, is running until October 11, for those without tickets to the matches.

It includes a 4,000 capacity marquee with a weather-proof area for fans to congregate and watch games on the big screens.

There is also an outdoor park with a 60sqm screen and food and drink stalls, with a ‘megasol’ in case of rain and a half-size 3G artificial rugby pitch so young people can try their hand at rugby.

People in the North-East can also enjoy a specially organised nine-day cultural festival as part of the tournament celebrations on Tyneside.

The Conversion Festival features live music, performance, arts, street food stalls and, starting on Saturday with a celebration of the musical traditions of Scotland and South Africa.

Carol Bell, head of culture and major events at Newcastle Gateshead Initiative, said: “We want to create a festival atmosphere around Rugby World Cup 2015 in Newcastle; something extra special that will make it memorable for everyone, whether you’re attending a game or not.

“It’s a chance for us to celebrate the visiting teams and the nations they represent.”

A total of 134,000 spectators are expected to visit Newcastle over the two week period and experts forecast it will generate £43m for the region’s economy.

Ross Smith, policy director of the North-East Chamber of Commerce, said: “It going to be really good in three ways. There is the immediate impact of having thousands of people coming the region for the games. Secondly, that will have the knock on impact of introducing people to the North-East who will later on come back and the exposure that we get on television.

“The third thing is creating some longer term ties and business links on the back of the World Cup and hopefully that is going to pay dividends in the future.”

Drivers heading to Newcastle are being advised to plan their journey in advance to avoid busy periods.

Highways England expects it will be busier than usual on the A1, the A19 and the A184 as fans travel to matches.

Highways England’s regional control centre in Wakefield will be monitoring traffic, setting electronic message signs and dispatching patrols of traffic officers to respond to any incidents as quickly as possible to keep supporters and other motorway users on the move.

They will also be keeping a close eye on the potential for heavy traffic before and after the game.

Hayley Robson, emergency planning officer for Highways England, said: “We urge spectators travelling by car to plan ahead, allow extra time and follow the signs on roads in and around Newcastle.”

Initial match ticket allocations are all but sold out, but extra tickets and resale tickets are occasionally released for all games. Prices start from £50, and go up to £175.

To find out what is available check: https://tickets.rugbyworldcup.com