KEY POINTS:
As co-captain of the Parliamentary rugby team, Murray McCully would help organise its overseas jaunts.
Now, as Minister for the Rugby World Cup, he is leading the Government's handling of New Zealand's biggest-ever sporting event.
McCully says he is happy with the progress being made towards a successful
tournament.
However, he has concerns about whether New Zealand is organised enough to make the most of the "legacy" of the Cup - the lasting effects it will have on trade, tourism, the world's perception of us.
"This is going to be the biggest opportunity New Zealand will have on a world stage in many, many decades. We have to think very, very carefully about how we project ourselves to the crowds and through the media.
"We need to think about what we want to create of lasting values."
One aspect of this could be the environmental sustainability of the tournament, an increasingly core practice in major events worldwide, and something central to New Zealand's so-called clean-green image.
McCully say this is what the National Government will be addressing and the framework appears to be in place to do it.
McCully is the shareholding minister in Rugby New Zealand 2011, the Government's joint venture with the New Zealand Rugby Union that is run by Martin Snedden.
Prime Minister John Key, who is also Tourism Minister, has signalled he will take a strong interest in the Rugby World Cup to be hosted here in 2011, saying he wants Snedden and NZRU chairman Jock Hobbs in his office "once a month, if not once a fortnight".
In what appears to be overkill, senior minister Gerry Brownlee is Associate Minister for the Rugby World Cup.
The Government has its own Rugby World Cup Co-ordination office, based in the Ministry of Economic Development, and more than 20 government agencies are involved in planning or delivering RWC projects.
The Government's investment so far is huge. It took a 50:50 stake through Sparc with the NZRU in the costs of the hosting bid. Then there is its 50:50 share in Rugby New Zealand 2011 - which includes a 2:1 share of any losses, currently estimated to be $30 million. It has underwritten $190 million for the redevelopment of Eden Park, given $6.5 million to the official RWC volunteer programme and annual funding of $690,000 to the co-ordination office.
The National Government will be driven by the Cup's timely political significance if nothing else. With the final held in late October 2011, the general election is almost certain to be held shortly afterwards.
The feelgood factor of a successful tournament will help National's chances of re-election. Equally, a poor tournament could damage those chances.
