Who ate all the pies? Well it turns out one Women's Rugby World Cup team has given it their best shot.
On the eve of the tournament's kick-off, the USA team are the talk of the North, after spending over $1000 dollars on pies for dinner at the Salt Air Cafe.
Julie Sands and her husband have run the Salt Air Cafe in the Whangārei suburb of Ngunguru for 17 years.
She said there was a buzz around the community, following this morning's Northern Advocate article about the USA squad demolishing 90 pies for tea on Wednesday night.
"Everyone's coming in today going 'oh you guys have been great blah blah blah,' its been pretty awesome."
US Women's Rugby Team in Northland. Photo: Instagram / Sylvia Braaten
Julie said the feast came about after some reconnaissance from some of the USA players, who were here for the Pacific Four series back in June.
"They had been into our cafe and they just fell in love with our pies.
"One of the girls, Annemarie, wanted to pretty much take over the cafe. They all wanted to eat pies and have a pie contest to see which was the best."
Julie got to work with her staff to provide nine different pies, along with salad and chips for the group of 46 players and support staff.
On the pie menu was mince, mince and cheese, mince bacon and mushroom, steak, steak and cheese, pepper steak, steak and mushroom, seafood and butter chicken pies.
Julie said it was a hoot.
"It was absolutely amazing, we all had a ball. It was good for them, good for us, good for our community."
US Women's Rugby Team in Northland. Photo:
As for the favourites? An eclectic mix.
"The end result was that the best pies were steak and cheese, seafood and butter chicken."
Salt Air Cafe are no strangers to selling plenty of their in demand $7 pies.
Pies are sold 7 days a week from 6am to 8pm, and in the peak of summer they can sell in excess of 200 pies per day.
Based in Northland for the first part of the tournament, USA Captain Kate Zackery said it was important to involve themselves in local customs.
"Whenever we travel, we try to do something in the community.
"That's what rugby is about, and it's also about getting to know the people around us who are making their homes our home.
"We hope to get back to the pie shop in our free time, and maybe get around some other shops too."
Sylvia Braaten and other US Women's Rugby Team members in Northland. Photo: Instagram / Sylvia Braaten
USA hooker JoJo Kiltinski was inspired by the pastry delights, and said she wouldn't rule out taking the pie business back to the States, and even potentially adding some flavours of her own.
"Maybe out of a food truck or something like that. You'd have to give it a bit of a twist, maybe a sweet pie aswell."
Julie said it was common for large groups to come into her store, but it was clear the USA team had won her over.
"These girls made it a really fun night, they're amazing."
Julie hoped to go and see USA take on Italy in Whangārei on Sunday, and said swapping pies for tickets wasn't out of the question.
That left one final question for Julie, what is the secret to baking a good pie?
"You make them with love."
