Meet Hori BOP's cuz, Hori Black

It's hard to imagine but the Bay's jolly, pie-scoffing mascot, Hori BOP, has a dark side.
That being his "cousin" Hori Black, who plans to put as much madcap support behind the All Blacks in next year's Rugby World Cup as Hori BOP does with the Bay's beloved Steamers.
In his debut public appearance, this self-described "limited-edition Hori" told the Bay of Plenty Times one of his sinister plots was to become New Zealand's own version of Suzie - the mysterious South African waitress accused of poisoning the All Blacks' 1995 world cup team.
"We need New Zealand to come together and get behind the All Blacks," he said.
"We want the Pakehas, Maori, the Tongans, the Samoans, the Eskimoes and all immigrant Poms, South Africans and Australians to rally together under the banner of the mighty silver fern.
"The talk that the Australians or the South Africans or the French are going to come over here and upset the apple cart again is just a load of old cobblers.
"We've got to pool together to make sure New Zealand doesn't drop the ball again."
Tauranga can't boast having any games next year, but the city could still become what Hori Black called a "centre of resistance against all foreign invaders".
"Here in Tauranga we have New Zealand's champion piemaker, which has given me the idea of how to poison the South Africans.
"Now, I'm not advocating the selling of dodgy pies to the South Africans, but I'm certainly not ruling it out either.
"If you look at what the Brits eat, I don't think there's anything you could find that would make them sick. And the French eat every weird object on Earth, so I think a bottle of dodgy kiwifruit wine could do the trick there."
He reckoned issuing the Australians with deodorant would prevent them from pulling any "unsavoury under-arm tactics".
"To put it in a nutshell, I'll just be a louder, heavier, more obnoxious version of Suzie."
Malicious tactics aside, Hori Black and Hori BOP still had much in common - food being the big tie.
"Hori BOP and I both love to eat. You could say that the only difference is that Hori BOP loves to see Waikato go down in a screaming heap, and Hori Black loves to see everybody but the All Blacks go down in screaming heaps."
With the World Cup still a year away, Hori Black has not yet set out his one-man support campaign for the All Blacks, but he made this vow.
"Hori Black is coming to a town near you - just when is still a mystery to me, but believe me, I'll be there."
HORI FACTS
Facts about Hori BOP and Hori Black
Both enjoy pies - especially those made by Pat Lam of Gold Star Patricks Pies Bakery in Bethlehem.
Both can be found sporting a Steamers rugby jersey. However, Hori Black can be distinguished by his black face paint with silver ferns - and the occasional dirty deed.
While Hori BOP is the enduring stalwart of the Steamers, Hori Black will be a limited-edition, unofficial mascot of the All Blacks.
Both are cousins of Hori Bubbles, who prefers paddling in the sea to revving up the crowds at Baypark.