Captain’s Car Up For Grabs As Virtual Rugby Starts

Captain’s Car Up For Grabs As Virtual Rugby Kicks Off

Rugby fans will get the chance to win a Rebel Sport Super 14 captain’s Ford car, while one lucky secondary school will win a coaching session with New Zealand Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens – with the return of the hugely-popular Telecom Virtual Rugby competition.

Another bumper Telecom Virtual Rugby season is predicted with over 140,000 players expected to ‘make their picks’ in time for next weekends first round of the Rebel Sport Super 14 competition. Players can register for the Telecom Virtual Rugby competition at www.telecomvirtualrugby.co.nz.

New Zealand Rugby Union Sponsorship and Marketing Manager Fraser Holland expects 2007’s virtual competition to be bigger than ever as excitement for the game builds before this year’s World Cup.

“We are expecting there to be major interest in the Rebel Sport Super 14 and Telecom Virtual Rugby is a fantastic way for fans to be involved and show off their rugby knowledge to friends and family.”

He says Telecom Virtual Rugby makes for fierce debates around work place water coolers throughout the country.

“It’s definitely about bragging rights and some not-too-subtle claims of rugby expertise.”

The grand prize winner receives their favourite Rebel Sport Super 14 captain’s Ford for the year and a miniature replica of the Rebel Sport Super 14 trophy for the mantelpiece. Telecom commissioned Jens Hansen, the Nelson contemporary gold and silversmith who created the One Ring for Peter Jackson's the Lord of the Rings films, to handcraft the smaller Telecom Virtual Rugby trophy.

The top ten players will also receive Samsung Blade mobile phones from Telecom.

Meanwhile, New Zealand secondary schools will again benefit from this year ’s competition. Fans can award their Telecom Virtual Rugby points to a secondary school of their choice. At the end of the competition the top ten schools, go in the draw to win 5000 Telecom School Connection points. This is combined with the coaching session from New Zealand Sevens coaching legend Gordon Tietjens.

Telecom GM Consumer Marketing Kevin Bowler says Telecom is a proud supporter of rugby in New Zealand and every year is overwhelmed with the popularity of the virtual rugby competition.

“Telecom Virtual Rugby is an excellent way we can help New Zealanders connect with their favourite game.”

This year also sees the return of the Rugbyheads; John Campbell, Tony Veitch, Grant Nisbett, Tony Johnson, Grant Fox and Melodie Robinson. Players can test themselves against these famous rugby brains, whose point tallies will be displayed on the Telecom Virtual Rugby website.

ENDS

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