How to add distinctive flavour to World Cup namings

Labour leader Andrew Little, Prime Minister John Key and Sports Minister Jonathan Coleman with the All Blacks during the RWC 2015 squad announcement. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The Banquet Hall at Parliament has hosted many historic events over the years - royal visits, national anniversary dinners and receptions for overseas leaders.

Another event of national significance took place within the hall's marbled expanse over the weekend.

Prime Minister John Key, Sport and Recreation Minister Jonathan Coleman and other key dignitaries gathered for the unveiling of the All Blacks' 31-man squad for the Rugby World Cup. Elsewhere, the public tuned in for live coverage only to discover the event of great national import was only accessible to pay TV subscribers. For a nation supposedly "holding its breath" awaiting word of who had made the squad, it had the potential for serious public health outcomes. We take a look at how other nations went about unveiling their Rugby World Cup line-ups to their eager public.

England - The eyes of the nation turned to Stonehenge, where the visual drama of the prehistoric monument proved the perfect backdrop for the hosts to reveal their chosen 31. The players did not look out of place surrounded by big, immobile lumps of granite.

Italy - White smoke billowed from the Vatican to signify the Italian selectors had reached agreement on the make-up of their World Cup squad. The Azzurri then emerged on to the balcony of St Peter's Basilica and presented to the waiting crowd below.

Scotland - In a symbolic move, the Scottish team elected to hold their squad announcement at York - the scene of Scotland's last triumph on English soil, circa 1297.

Fiji - After each player had passed their full medical check at the village botanist, the team were unveiled to the public at the Sheraton Denarau only to be greeted by a bunch of disinterested tourists hoping for free daquiris.

South Africa - The final line-up is set to be confirmed outside a Pretoria high court this week once a judge has made a ruling on the Agency for New Agenda (ANA) party's bid to have the court order the players surrender their passports. The ANA is protesting the fact that the Springboks squad doesn't have enough black players which doesn't meet the South African Government's policy on transformation.

USA - Tens of millions of citizens around the United States tuned in for Barrack Obama's state of the (rugby) union address from the presidential office in the White House.

France - The French brought a touch of culture to their team naming. Media gathered at the Louvre for the traditional unveiling of the post-Impressionist portrait of the World Cup team.

Argentina - In a controversial move certain to stir old tensions before they arrive on UK shores, Los Pumas boldly decided to stage their team naming on the Falkland Islands, sorry Malvinas.

Canada - They announced it via press release ... Boring.

Australia - Media were invited to assemble in an aircraft hangar at Sydney Airport. One by one the players emerged from a Qantas 747 ... oh wait, that actually happened.