I scream for Richie McThaw

Alicia Hirchi holds a special icecream from Mr Whippy made especially for the Rugby World Cup. Photo / Doug Sherring

Richie McThaw is touching down at an icecream van near you.

The $5.50 icecream will be served in a special All Black waffle cone and have two chocolate fingers sticking out for goalposts. A scorched almond will play the rugby ball and it will have a flake and chocolate topping.

More than 60,000 of the quirky cones, similar to the one held by Alicia Hirschi are expected to get big licks from rugby-mad punters in the next six weeks at 60 Mr Whippy vans around the country.

But first they need to make it past clearance at customs after being made in Australia.

"They should have all been in New Zealand by now," said Carl Russell, Mr Whippy franchise owner for East Auckland. "But perhaps the Aussies are holding them up for a grudge after they realised what they are for."

All Black Captain Richie McCaw gave his blessing for his name to be used for the cones before he left for England, Russell said.

"We wanted to produce something special for the cup and it is great Richie liked the idea. Apparently he said it was cool."

The cone comes as tournament and All Blacks sponsors bombard us with adverts for nappies, perfumes, shower heads, underwear, beds and home and garage-building companies.

Anchor has jumped on the bandwagon with its limited edition black plastic bottles, numbered 1-15.

But at least one New Zealand Rugby probe is under way into a business selling a large range of shoes under the brand "All Black".

The Taiwan-based firm featured this month on the back cover of glossy China Airlines in-flight shopping magazine, Sky Boutique.

"We keep a close eye on these things as at the end of the day we don't want All Blacks fans being misled by fake products and brands," said NZR general manager public affairs Nick Brown.

All Black company owner Richie Liao told the Herald on Sunday said any connection with the famous team was a coincidence and the shoe manufacturer had used the name for almost 30 years.