NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Meet Webb Ellis - our new Rugby World Cup baby

Jamie Morton
By Jamie Morton
Multimedia Journalist·NZ Herald·
26 Oct, 2011 04:30 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Naufahu and Sylvia Namoa with their son Jayden Webb Ellis Namoa, who was born just after New Zealand won the Rugby World Cup. Photo / Dean Purcell

Naufahu and Sylvia Namoa with their son Jayden Webb Ellis Namoa, who was born just after New Zealand won the Rugby World Cup. Photo / Dean Purcell

A rugby-mad Auckland family have ensured their Rugby World Cup euphoria will never die after naming their newborn son after the game's greatest prize.

Jayden Webb Ellis Namoa arrived into the world at 2.08am on Monday, just a few hours after the All Blacks clinched the baby boy's namesake at Eden Park.

The heart-stopping match was made all the more stressful for mum Sylvia Namoa, who braved multiple contractions during the game before feeling safe enough to leave her Otahuhu home for Middlemore Hospital.

"On the night, I told myself to hold it in because we needed to watch the game," she told the Herald.

"As soon as we knew they were going to win, we were away to the hospital."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Fittingly, Jayden is biblical for "thankful", and tacking on Webb Ellis was a "spur of the moment thing", she said.

"We were so excited and so happy that we just decided to add in the Webb Ellis. People laughed it off when they first heard it - the doctors and everyone in the hospital thought it was a great name."

With a birthweight of about 3.5kg - just a kilogram less than the coveted trophy - tiny Jayden was only the size of a rugby ball at best, she said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Mrs Namoa was born in 1987 - the year of the All Blacks' first Cup glory - and her eldest child, son Siokateme, was born a week out from the 2007 Rugby World Cup final.

"He would have had some sort of All Black name as well if they hadn't lost to France and won it."

A chuffed Naufahu Namoa said the birth of his second son was a double-delight after watching his favourite team's victory.

"I'm really, really happy," said Mr Namoa, who has been obsessed with rugby since growing up with the game in his island home of Tonga.

Discover more

New Zealand

Rugby World Cup baby arrives early

26 Oct 06:29 AM
Opinion

Editorial: Rugby World Cup's success will echo long into future

26 Oct 04:30 PM
Opinion

Wynne Gray: Victory built on pack stability

26 Oct 04:30 PM
New Zealand

All Blacks all aTwitter after Rugby World Cup ban lifted

26 Oct 04:30 PM

"Now as my son grows up, we'll always be reminded of when New Zealand won the Webb Ellis Cup."

The couple have draped an All Blacks flag above their new baby's cot and have plans to field him in a Rippa Rugby side when he turns 3.

"Hopefully, he'll play for the All Blacks one day," Mrs Namoa said.

"But with all of his gear he's already one of the team."

Asked if Jayden could soon be joined by a little brother named Richie, Piri or Stephen, she laughed.

"I think I'll save it for the next World Cup."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Meanwhile new mum and rugby fan Rachelle Atherton says giving birth was more intense than watching the All Blacks hang on to beat France by one point in the World Cup final - but not by much.

The 34-year-old Hamilton woman gave birth to son Jude William Atherton nine minutes into Sunday's match - but still managed to catch the last minutes of the game.

Jude arrived 10 weeks early, weighing only 1.7kg.

It was a huge shock for Rachelle and her husband Scott, who never expected their son to arrive at such an important time.

"But Jude had other plans," she said.

"Definitely the delivery was more intense but it was a nerve-racking final. I'd had a few updates throughout [the delivery], but to see the score the way it was, was quite a shock," she said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Mrs Atherton's water broke last Wednesday and she was admitted to Waikato Hospital in preparation for the delivery.

But the rugby fan didn't want to miss the final.

"I begged them for a leave pass to watch the final at my dad's house."

However, she went into labour about 3pm and Jude arrived about six hours later, giving the new parents just enough time to catch the final nailbiting stages.

"We managed to sit down in the foyer of the delivery suite and watch the last 10 minutes of the game. It was very surreal," said Mr Atherton, who is Australian.

They named him Jude because Mr Atherton is a big Beatles fan and "it's a strong name", he said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The couple believe their son may be destined to play rugby, given the timing of his birth, but would be happy for him to represent New Zealand or Australia.

"He's our little Anzac," said Mr Atherton. "We're going to let him grow up and decide who he wants to play for."

Jude is being kept in an incubator in hospital to be monitored but his parents hope to have him home by Christmas.

- Additional reporting: APNZ

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New ZealandUpdated

'We’re still struggling': Pensioner's fight to rebuild after devastating floods

25 Jun 08:45 PM
New Zealand|politicsUpdated

Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp dies at 50

25 Jun 08:36 PM
New Zealand

Willis warns of tougher penalties for supermarkets caught misleading shoppers

25 Jun 08:21 PM

Kaibosh gets a clean-energy boost in the fight against food waste

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

'We’re still struggling': Pensioner's fight to rebuild after devastating floods

'We’re still struggling': Pensioner's fight to rebuild after devastating floods

25 Jun 08:45 PM

Many homes in Wairoa remain empty, with 83 still yellow-stickered.

Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp dies at 50

Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp dies at 50

25 Jun 08:36 PM
Willis warns of tougher penalties for supermarkets caught misleading shoppers

Willis warns of tougher penalties for supermarkets caught misleading shoppers

25 Jun 08:21 PM
Weight loss drug Ozempic/Wegovy is days away for NZ. Everything you need to know

Weight loss drug Ozempic/Wegovy is days away for NZ. Everything you need to know

25 Jun 08:03 PM
Engage and explore one of the most remote places on Earth in comfort and style
sponsored

Engage and explore one of the most remote places on Earth in comfort and style

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP