Message #71144

[Kiwithrottlejockey]

Wet, wild and muddy kickoff to season

By TOBY ROBSON - The Dominion Post | 5:00AM - Monday, 25 January 2010



DIRTY FUN: Mud wrestlers at the Blues v Hurricanes pre-season Super 14 rugby match in Mangatainoka (left).

MUD, GLORIOUS MUD: Tui girls pose in the mud before the pre-season Super 14 match between the Blues and Hurricanes in Mangatainoka (right).

The naked truth about the security at Mangatainoka's Super 14 match was revealed in stark fashion as a string of streakers joined in the mud bath.

Tie in impromptu mud-wrestling, Tui Girls in bare feet, driving rain and a call from the band to drink every last drop of the sponsor's product before leaving, and the 8000-strong crowd that attended Saturday's unique rugby experience left with the feeling they had been part of something special.

The pre-season match in northern Wairarapa was more reminiscent of Glastonbury music festival than a footy match, as half-naked drunken men stumbled happily in the mud, music blaring in the background.

The sponsor's product and a sea of umbrellas ensured that even driving rain and a perfectly timed southerly did not dampen spirits.

City slickers realised the worth of a good pair of gummies but the Tui Girls, of which there were many, were happy to go barefoot.

In between times a rugby match broke out, after Sir Brian Lochore followed up a bagpipe national anthem with a short punt to the Blues that turned out to be the actual kickoff.

In the next 90 minutes four male streakers strutted their stuff, one managing to bind on to a Hurricanes ruck before being carted away by security.

The podgiest of the naturalists was able to squeeze in press-ups, dance moves, a mock try and a grotesque liaison with a goalpost.

He was left to his own devices for so long he ran out of antics, while play continued at the other end of the field. Eventually a stream of fluorescent vests dawdled in and the exhausted exhibitionist gave himself up.

None of the streakers were arrested, but all were banned from the ground and received a warning.

The Hurricanes shook off the distractions to play a decent game of rugby, despite losing 19-17, and then stayed for an hour signing autographs and posing for photos in the drizzle.

Hurricanes flanker Scott Waldrom loved every minute, but admitted the facilities under Mangatainoka RFC's tiny grandstand weren't quite as good as those at Westpac Stadium.

"We waded about 200 metres through the mud to get to the changing rooms and there was no toilet, so we were hunting around the paddock at the back where they'd put one toilet in an old cowshed."

Waldrom said the players had been blown away to find such a big crowd — courtesy of a makeshift scaffold stadium — in the middle of nowhere. "I don't think we were expecting the scaffolding to be as high as it was and when everyone was packed in around you it was bloody impressive."

The Blues players got a shock, too, and made an amusing sight as they tiptoed daintily from the team bus to their dressing tent (yes, tent) in a futile effort to keep their glistening white trainers clean.

"Go the Blues!" yelled one of the witty locals. "Yeah right!" chimed in his mates.

Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper said he would love to see more pre-season games in the provinces. "Everyone wins. It gave a lot more hype to the game and it gave an opportunity to advertise for the sponsors. It's different, but it's good."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/national/3257996/Wet-wild-and-muddy-kickoff-to-season



CHEEKY: A streaker waves to the crowd at the Blues v Hurricanes pre-season Super 14 game in Mangatainoka.


IMPROMPTU HAKA: Fans perform a haka at the Blues v Hurricanes pre-season Super 14 game in Mangatainoka.


POLICE ESCORT: A streaker is led away by police after being followed an exhibition during the Blues v Hurricanes
pre-season Super 14 game.


FANTASTIC PLASTIC: Fans shelter from the rain at the Blues v Hurricanes pre-season Super 14 game in Mangatainoka.


THE NAKED TRUTH: A streaker dives across the tryline in Mangatainoka during the Blues v Hurricanes
pre-season Super 14 game.


HAVING A BALL: Spectators in a playful wrestle for a ball in the dead-ball area before the Blues v Hurricanes
pre-season Super 14 game in Mangatainoka.


THE NAKED TRUTH: A streaker bursts across the field at Mangatainoka during the
Blues v Hurricanes pre-season Super 14 game.


SOLD OUT: An aerial shot of the specially made stadium on Neil Symonds farm in Mangatainoka for the
Blues v Hurricanes Super 14 pre-season match.


MATCH WINNER: Blues halfbck Taniela Moa clenches his fist after scoring the winning try against the Hurricanes
in a pre-season Super 14 match in Mangatainoka.


ROCKETMAN FLIES: Blues captain Joe Rokocoko (right) goes flying in a tackle in the Blues v Hurricanes
pre-season Super 14 match in Mangatainoka.


SIDELINE: Hurricanes All Blacks Cory Jane, Ma'a Nonu and Tamati Ellison watch the Blues v Hurricanes
pre-season Super 14 match in Mangatainoka.


IN THE STAND: NZRU chief executive Steve Tew sits alongside Hurricanes number eight Rodney So'oialo,
 at the Blues v Hurricanes pre-season Super 14 rugby match in Mangatainoka.


MAKING A STATEMENT: Fans with a Tui billboard mock-up at the Blues v Hurricanes pre-season
Super 14 rugby match in Mangatainoka.


WET ONE: Raincoats were the order of the day as spectators watch Blues halfback Alby Mathewson run from
the base of a ruck during the Blues v Hurricanes pre-season Super 14 rugby match in Mangatainoka.


CUTTING LOOSE: Hurricanes winger David Smith is in the clear during the Blues v Hurricanes pre-season
Super 14 rugby match in Mangatainoka.


RUDI RUNS: Blues fullback Rudi Wulf breaks a tackle during the Blues v Hurricanes pre-season
Super 14 rugby match in Mangatainoka.


Fans pack out Mangatainoka

By DANIEL RICHARDSON - Manawatu Standard | 12 NOON - Monday, 25 January 2010



BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME: An aerial shot of the specially made stadium on
Neil Symonds' farm in Mangatainoka (right).

UP IN THE AIR: Hurricanes and Blues players contest a lineout during their Super 14 pre-season
game in Mangatainoka on Saturday (left). — JONATHAN CAMERON/Manawatu Standard.

Mangatainoka could be a regular pre-season Super 14 venue following the success of Saturday's match between the Hurricanes and the Blues.

Just under 10,000 flocked to Neil Symonds' farm despite the abysmal weather to watch professional rugby played at a grassroots venue.

Tui marketing manager Nick Rogers, who masterminded the game, said the event went well, but was a huge undertaking.

"Event management is not easy, but it was golden," he said yesterday. "Everyone was so hyped up. The locals today are just absolutely abuzz."

Persistent rain didn't put off the punters who turned up in droves to watch the match, won by the Blues 19-17.

"I think the weather made the day. It showed that there are no fairweather supporters in the provinces. New Zealand people want to come out rain or shine," Mr Rogers said.

Fans were treated to Sir Brian Lochore kicking the game off, following a national anthem that was done "Toki style" with the tune played on the bagpipes.

Umbrellas, hats and coats were a must in the first half as fans battled the elements to watch players who rarely take the field outside of the main centres.

Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper said he was keen to see another game in Mangatainoka.

"It was good. I think professional rugby needs to come back to grassroots and engage back with the fans and there was a bit of that going on today so it's good to be here," he said.

"It's just got to fit with next year. It's going to expand again with the Super 15."

Following the match, fans were allowed on the ground to get autographs, high fives and photos with their heroes, who were happy to scribble their name or pose to put a smile on kids' faces.

Blues coach Pat Lam admitted he had to take a quick geography lesson to find out where Mangatainoka was.

"At first I was like ‘where's that?’ But I just think it's fantastic to come down here. The people have just been awesome."

Mr Lam said pre-season games were best played where they could connect with the fans.

"Certainly I think this is far better to come to the heartland and take the game out to the provinces and this is just great. I couldn't have asked for a better place to play the game. I heard the ground belongs to a farmer, so it's a great effort. We were a bit concerned, but it's a great surface."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/3258924/Fans-pack-out-Mangatainoka


Frustrated Cruden looks on as Hurricanes slip up

By DANIEL RICHARDSON - Manawatu Standard | 12 NOON - Monday, 25 January 2010



ROLL AWAY TACKLER: Hurricanes forward Jacob
Ellison, with ball, is taken to ground during his
team's match against the Blues in Mangatainoka.
— JONATHAN CAMERON/Manawatu Standard.

Aaron Cruden admitted it was a bit frustrating being forced to watch from the sidelines when the Hurricanes lost to the Blues in their opening pre-season match on Saturday.

The Manawatu first-five was caught in a training incident during a contact session recently and lost sight in his left eye for three days before seeing a specialist to get it cleared up.

The doctor also ruled him out for two weeks, which included Saturday's game played in Mangatainoka, in front of just under 10,000 people.

"It was a bit of a bummer because all the family came over, but there'll be plenty more chances for them to see me," Cruden said, adding the eye injury had him sweating when it happened.

"I was quite worried for the first couple of days. I couldn't actually see anything and that's why I went to the specialist and that's when they gave me some eye drops."

Taranaki pivot Willie Ripia didn't show too much on Saturday to have Cruden worried that he won't get considerable game time for the Hurricanes this season.

Ripia didn't set the backline alight and was benched as Piri Weepu played the final quarter at first-five.

Conditions didn't allow for running rugby in Mangatainoka, but both teams tried their best, as the Blues inched past the home side to win 19-17.

Hurricanes discard Daniel Kirkpatrick proved the difference as he kicked two conversions, including the vital one late in the game after Blues halfback Taniela Moa crashed over close to the posts for the match-winning try.

Played in quarters, the match had few highlights in the first half due to the constant rain and the scores were locked five apiece at the split.

The second half proved to be a better spectacle. It was a relief to see both sides throw the ball around and not take the penalties on offer.

The game wasn't about the result for both coaches; it was more about testing combinations and working out who will make their starting 15s when the Super 14 proper begins next month.

Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper had fewer players at his disposal, with his All Blacks unavailable and three others, including Manawatu loose forward Brent Thompson out with injury, while the Blues used 28 men.

Thompson will be seeing a neck specialist this week and more will be known about his status after that.

Cruden's form in the Air New Zealand Cup last year effectively ended Kirkpatrick's chances of being re-selected in the Hurricanes and the Manawatu first-five said before he could take to the Super 14 paddock he needed to bulk up.

Listed on the Hurricanes website at 79kg, the 21-year-old said he was working on adding more weight to his frame.

"I came down at about 80-81kg, at the moment I'm holding at 83 so I'm pretty happy, but the target weight is about 85kg so we'll see how that goes.

"It's just about being able to take the knocks. It's going to be a bit more intense than Air New Zealand Cup, so I think it's just trying to help me recover week to week."

Cruden will get his first chance to pull on the yellow and black of the Hurricanes when they host the Brumbies in their second warm-up game in Porirua on Friday night.

He said after all the speculation surrounding his rise in the game he was nervous about Friday's match.

"I am a little bit. It's a huge honour and I just want to do the jersey proud so I try and not read too much into the hype and I just like to keep my head down and work hard but there definitely will be a few nerves out there."

• Blues: 19 (Rene Ranger 2, Taniela Moa tries; Daniel Kirkpatrick 2 conversions).

• Hurricanes: 17 (Anthony Perenise, Chris Eaton, Charlie Ngatai tries; Willie Ripia conversion).

• Halftime: 5-5.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/sport/3258935/Frustrated-Cruden-looks-on-as-Hurricanes-slip-up


Editorial: Winning match on many levels

By WARWICK RASMUSSEN, Deputy Editor - Manawatu Standard | 12 NOON - Monday, 25 January 2010

It may have been weather more suited to duckshooting in May, but that didn't detract from the success of holding a big time rugby match in small time Mangatainoka.

The success of the event can be charted on several levels.

From a marketing point of view, the team at Tui tapped into the fans' psyche by staging the match in rural New Zealand. It seemed like a case of build it and they will come. And so it was. Even in the dire weather, thousands crammed cars, 4WDs and buses along the side roads around Mangatainoka, then wandered towards the paddock.

It was something of a coup for Tui to stage the match and it did come with a hefty price tag.

They were never going to make a lot of money out of the match — although the beer sales at the ground would have helped, as would the national exposure of having the big game in the little town.

What the fixture did do, though, was generate a lot of goodwill for the company and it created an almost nostalgic feel around the game which was hard to escape. Aside from all of the corporate objectives that were ticked off, it was great to see fans keen to reconnect with the game.

In a lot of ways it was a mix of old and new — the flash Harry players getting ready in the makeshift changing rooms, for example.

It was also a reminder of where the game starts for so many children around New Zealand; a wet paddock in the middle of nowhere.

It is these kinds of special occasions that really galvanise fans to their teams. Imagine how soul-less the match would have been if it had been held in Wellington to an almost empty stadium.

Instead, everyone won (except the Hurricanes on the field).

The teams didn't have all their superstars playing and it was a shame for Manawatu fans that we didn't see Aaron Cruden in the No10 jersey, but people who went to the game will always treasure the occasion.

Once all the figures have been added up, it will be interesting to see whether organisers will look at doing it again.

They would have learned a few lessons from hosting the match and can only make it better from here.

How great would it be for the fans and the game if it became an annual fixture for the Hurricanes pre-season? Here's hoping.I've given up complaining about the summer that never arrived. It was easy to forget over the weekend that this is meant to be one of the hottest times of the year. Instead, I see it as a great bonus for our agricultural sector. Driving through the region, it is unseasonably green, which can only be good at this time of year. There can be some silver linings to the many grey clouds we've been seeing.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/opinion/3258933/Editorial-Winning-match-on-many-levels