Archive for Air New Zealand Cup
Team Bus launching in Wellington this week
Posted by: | CommentsI don’t normally publish press releases verbatim on here because I think just copy and pasting a prewritten release is lazy journalism, however there are times when I’m willing to make an exception.The NZRU have put together a pretty darn good looking event to promote the Air New Zealand Cup (God knows it needs it), so I’m willing to help them out with some free advertising. (Although press accreditation at internationals would be nice!)
Loyal Wellington rugby fans have the chance to win free tickets and a free ride on a special Team Bus to watch their team defend the Ranfurly Shield against Otago in week one of the Air New Zealand Cup.
The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) is this week launching the Team Bus competition, an initiative to reward the grass roots supporters of Air New Zealand Cup rugby across New Zealand for their commitment to their local rugby.
“This is a great opportunity for those loyal grass roots rugby fans who want to come out and support their favourite Air New Zealand Cup team,” said NZRU Commercial Manager Paul Dalton.
“We want to recognise and acknowledge those die-hard supporters who, by stubbornly supporting their favourite team, continue to add the kind of colour and vibrance that makes the Air New Zealand Cup such a dynamic and exciting competition.”
Each week of the series, a feature game will be chosen either from nominations by fans in local communities, or from the pool of matches. For the community that is chosen, 100 local fans will get to go to the game for free.
“This really is a hunt for those die-hard fans who would love the chance to win free game tickets, free transport, and have a great time while supporting their provincial team,” says Mr Dalton.
The fans win tickets and travel to the game on the Team Bus, preceded by a pre-game experience with food, fun and fan oriented activities such as face painting, creating signs and decorating the Bus in their team colours.
Successful fans and their families arrive at a local rugby club an hour and a half before the game, where they will be greeted by a local rugby hero who will spend time with them and ride with them to the game on the Team Bus.
A free BBQ at the clubrooms will give the fans energy to scream for their team with entertainment provided by partner radio station Classic Hits.
The Team Bus for the Wellington vs Otago match will leave from Norths Rugby Club at Cannons Creek, Porirua.
To register to be on the Team Bus, or to nominate your community for the Team Bus experience to come to your area, visit the Team Bus web site www.teambus.co.nz
Honestly, they want to give 100 fans from a local rugby club the chance to get along and support their team in the Air New Zealand Cup in the spirit of fun and rugby and I say bloody good on them.
Air New Zealand Cup Power Rankings
Posted by: | CommentsThings have been a little quiet around here lately, with just the All Blacks playing and not very well. But thankfully the Air New Zealand cup gets underway on Thursday night and will treat us to 13 weeks of the best provincial rugby New Zealand has to offer.
With that in mind, Sports After Dark will be publishing our power rankings for the Air New Zealand Cup, along with an experimental ranking system being prepared for next year’s Super 14. Alongside the power rankings will be the return of the weekly column Inside The Numbers appearing every Wednesday taking a look at various statistics from around the Air New Zealand Cup.
As with the Super 14, week one power rankings will not be published as teams with a 1-0 record end up with a ranking of 67 and those with an 0-1 record end up on 33.
I am also looking at doing a series of audio interviews with Canterbury players, as well as publishing all of the post match press conferences online.
Air New Zealand Cup final LIVE
Posted by: | CommentsNot a good weekend to be an official
Posted by: | CommentsThis weekend has been a tough one for officials. On Friday night we saw referee Steve Walsh forced to leave his Air New Zealand Cup semi final after about 20 minutes. Walsh was knocked over by players three times in the early stages of the game, the third time taking him out of the game for good.
Then on Sunday, Major League Baseball umpire Derryl Cousins was forced to leave game 6 of the American League Championship series after taking a foul ball to the face. It looked particularly painful as the ball appeared to strike him on the edge of his mask.
Most often in sports the attention is on the players, but every now and then the officials remind us that they are human by getting injured themselves. But to see two in one weekend of action is highly unusual!
Take the goggles off Stu!
Posted by: | CommentsSitting here watching the Wellington vs Taranaki game, an Air New Zealand Cup quarter final, and I can’t believe the naked bias shown by Sky commentator Stu Wilson. Now Stu is a Wellington man through and through, but the sheer blindness shown by Wilson towards decisions going against Wellington is staggering.
Firstly, after Piri Weepu knocked the ball on while trying to regather his own kick, Ma’a Nonu, who was a good metre or two in front of Weepu when he lost the ball, regained the ball only to be penalised for being offside. Wilson claimed the call was “marginal” but even someone with a pea sized brain, such as Wilson, knows that this is a clear offside penalty.
Then later in the first half, Wellington were again penalised, this time for Dane Cook and Jeremy Thrush joining a ruck from the side, very obviously and right in front of the referee. Wilson stated, “I’ve seen worse not get picked up.” Once again showing that Wilson either isn’t watching the game, or is so incapable of impartial comment that he has to hang his bias out for all to see.
Then again, this game is being broadcast by the pro-Wellington dream team, or is that nightmare team, of Stu Wilson and Grant Nisbett. Should we expect anything less?
