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Home / New Zealand

Passionate Rugby World Cup visitors vie for locals' support

NZ Herald
18 Sep, 2011 05:30 PM6 mins to read

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Visiting from Canada are Amy Lobb, Kim Lobb and Milica Mrdjenovich. Photo / Richard Robinson

Visiting from Canada are Amy Lobb, Kim Lobb and Milica Mrdjenovich. Photo / Richard Robinson

France v Canada

Napier residents struggled to choose which country to back yesterday as lively legions of French and Canadian fans fought for their affection.

Thousands filled the city's bustling main street as supporters of the two teams packed out pubs to help celebrate last night's World Cup clash at McLean Park, won by France 46-19.

Rugby-mad British Columbian Kim Lobb, 31, said she was delighted at the warm welcome Kiwis had given her.

"New Zealanders are much like Canadians - they're friendly, helpful and a little understated in that they're really proud of their country but not in your face about it."

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She and sister Amy, 25, and their friend Milica Mrdjenovich, 25, have been fulfilling a long-held dream to tour with their team at a World Cup.

"Rugby's really popular where we are from on the west coast of Canada, especially because it's the only part of the country where you can play it year-round - everywhere else is frozen in winter," Kim said.

The All Blacks are royalty in their home town of Victoria and, for Amy, Canada's next match against the side would be the highlight of the cup.

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"They're an incredible team and it's always been a goal of mine to watch the All Blacks perform a haka on their home soil," she said.

Frenchman Romain Bonnemaison is also counting down to his team's September 24 date with the All Blacks.

He and friends Stephane Cou and Sylvain and Anne Lauras have been touring in a campervan. New Zealand was "very, very beautiful", he said.

After last night's victory, Mr Bonnemaison picked the All Blacks and the Wallabies as the teams that threatened glory for the French. But he had no doubt they would eventually triumph, "because we are the best".

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Frenchman Mathias Arnaud, who earlier picked a final score of 28-15, waved the French flag over railings as the team made their way past below. "The game was good but France were not very good; they need to get better."

- Jamie Morton

Wales v Samoa

Samoa supporter Willie Leilua says his country may lack the financial riches the big boys of rugby enjoy, but they make up for that with a "burning pride for our country and the jersey".

"There are Samoan guys playing for the All Blacks and the Wallabies but we all know that their hearts are with these guys playing for us," said Mr Leilua of Titirangi, West Auckland.

Mr Leilua made his way to Stadium Waikato yesterday with his 12-year-old son Kiriffi, among hordes of flag-bearing and wig-wearing Samoan fans.

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Some sang Samoan songs, clearly buoyed by their shock defeat of the Wallabies in July and thrashing of Namibia last week.

The Samoans also felt confident, having beaten the Welsh at the tournaments in 1991 and 1999. "We spanked them the last two times we played them so I am hopeful we can give it back to them again," said Mr Leilua.

But matching them were an army of Welsh supporters who painted their faces red, wore red wigs and draped flags over their shoulders.

Some wore black armbands in recognition of the four men who died in a flooded mine in Neath last week.

Confident of Welsh victory was Terry Evans, who made the trip to New Zealand with his wife, Wendy.

He was still miffed Wales were not recognised as the winners against South Africa in Wellington. "But at least after today we should be one from two, it'll be close but we should win."

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Jan Judson, originally from Flint in the north of Wales, said Ireland had provided the inspiration for her countrymen by beating Australia 15-6 the night before. "The boys would have taken a lot of heart from seeing what Ireland did. We haven't beaten Samoa before - but you have to start somewhere and that's today."

With Wales sneaking to a 17-10 lead late in the second half, Mrs Judson's prediction seemed on the money.

Mr Leilua told the Herald he was devastated by the loss.

"Now we are hoping our Fijian brothers can beat Wales for us to have a chance."

He said it didn't help Samoa's cause that "we had to play two games in less than a week".

"It's not an excuse but the boys started to look tired in the second half, maybe they should have brought some changes on."

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"But we are not down and out, not yet, we are still in this."

Gary Jones, of Llanelli, was savouring a beer with mates at a pub close to the stadium after the match.

The group were in boisterous spirits, now convinced they will make the second round of the tournament.

"You have those poor lads back home who died, so that would have been in the players' minds, I'm sure," he said. "But it's a good win, mate. We're on our way now."

- James Ihaka

England v Georgia

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English couple Danny Cremen and Grace Robertson had a deal. If she got her wish to travel to Thailand, they would then go on to New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup.

Now the second part of the deal is being fulfilled. And while rugby-mad Mr Cremen, 31, is loving every minute of it, rugby illiterate Ms Robertson, 27, is on a steep learning curve.

"He's taught me all the rules wrong. So I keep shouting out when I shouldn't be," Ms Robertson says.

"I've learned what a knock-on is, and I know when you can take a penalty, and that's about it. So I see what everybody else does and I copy them."

Mr Cremen said he had enjoyed the action so far. Although the English team's start to the tournament had been "a bit shaky", he was pleased with England's 41-10 victory in Dunedin.

He believed his team would only improve from here and that history shows they can win the cup.

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Englishman Paul Armenise, 23, said: "Dunedin is full of English people at the moment. So it's good fun."

Invercargill couple Mark and Vicky Findlay decked themselves out in Georgian colours to back the underdogs last night.

Mr Findlay said he had been a cup volunteer and was impressed by the Georgians.

"The country's here to support the World Cup, not just the big nations. It's these small teams that really mean more to [the tournament] than the bigger teams. If it wasn't for them, we couldn't really have these big tournaments."

- Jarrod Booker

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