All Blacks to Take a Slice of NZ to France

MEDIA RELEASE
6 July 2006

All Blacks to Take a Slice of NZ to France

With the All Blacks set to contest the 2007 Rugby World Cup later this year, a special gift from adidas and the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) will make sure the team stays connected to their home land at a purely grass roots level.

adidas and the NZRU are in the process of cutting a piece of turf from dozens of pitches around the country, that together will encompass fields played on by every single All Black in history. Soil from the turf will help to make up the special gift that the team will take to France in August.

adidas NZ Marketing Manager Craig Waugh said the idea behind the campaign is that the 1,072 All Blacks to date are 'Of This Earth.'

“The turf we are collecting from clubs around the country will cover the rugby grounds on which every All Black has played,” Craig said.

“We’ll then be creating a very special gift to send along to France with the All Blacks when they contest the Rugby World Cup.”

New Zealand Rugby Union Marketing Manager, Fraser Holland, said turf will be collected from both major stadiums like Eden Park, Waikato Stadium and Carisbrook, and small provincial grounds like Southbridge, home ground to first five-eighths Dan Carter, and Opunake Beach, home to prop Carl Hayman.

“Each ground has a different story to tell and has been a special ground to one of the 1,072 All Blacks that have represented New Zealand over the years,” Fraser said.

“We hope that along with the support of the dedicated All Blacks’ fans, the gift will assist the boys in their Rugby World Cup crusade.”

The first collection will take place on Monday 9 July at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton.

ENDS

© Scoop Media