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Home / Sport / Rugby / Rugby World Cup

Rugby World Cup final: All Blacks have the best celebrity fans

By Eli Orzessek
NZ Herald·
29 Oct, 2015 08:00 AM4 mins to read

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Former policeman, international rugby player, actor, and columnist Martin Bayfield picks the All Blacks as his favourite to win the Rugby World Cup because he sees the forwards as better 'ball players' and feels that maybe the vital difference between the sides for an All Blacks victory.

Never mind the final, the All Blacks have already beaten the Wallabies spectacularly - when it comes to celebrity support, that is.

The boys in black have garnered a star-studded list of famous fans that includes Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, David Hasselhoff, Snoop Dogg and perhaps even Prince Harry - well, now that England are out.

While Snoop posted a video shoutout to the team during the 2011 World Cup, the Hoff - a Wales fan first - recently tweeted Dan Carter a picture of himself in an All Blacks jersey.

"If it can't be the Welsh it's gotta be @DanCarter #allblackeverything," he captioned the photo.

Hey shout out to @DanCarter good Luck was honored to meet and get Sir John Kirwans jersey a few years back .. See you on the pitch!!

— David Hasselhoff (@DavidHasselhoff) September 21, 2015
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The rugby-mad Hasselhoff said he was even gifted a jersey by Sir John Kirwan at a game "a few years back".

And he's been predicting an All Blacks win since the beginning - even when Wales were still in the running.

"But sadly, except for New Zealand, it looks as though the All Blacks will be the first team to win back to back cups," he tweeted.

And when Liam Messam posted a gym selfie of himself using The Rock's "favourite machine", the actor - who lived in New Zealand briefly as a child - responded with "Usos [Samoan for brothers]! Get after it".

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Saturday morning grind on the @TheRock favourite machine @MalakaiFekitoa @kevenmealamu @VictorVito1103 👌😜 pic.twitter.com/UW8erOP2eI

— Liam Messam (@LiamMessam) September 12, 2015
Dwayne Johnson loves the All Blacks. Photo / Getty Images
Dwayne Johnson loves the All Blacks. Photo / Getty Images

@LiamMessam @MalakaiFekitoa @kevenmealamu @VictorVito1103 Usos! Get after it

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) September 12, 2015

British TV journalist Piers Morgan is also an All Blacks fan and has tweeted his support throughout the tournament. "These All Blacks are a special team & this guy's a machine," he wrote this week of Dan Carter.

Even Russell Crowe - arguably the Quade Cooper of acting - admits he's an All Blacks supporter, despite growing up in Australia and backing them in every other sport. "From where I sit, the sun is shining, All Blacks are RWC champions and all is right in the world," he wrote after the last World Cup - most likely angering several Australians.

On the Wallabies side, they do have one formidable fan in Aussie actor Hugh Jackman (aka Wolverine).

"C'mon @Wallabies. We're all right there with you guys!" he tweeted during the semifinal against Argentina. Last month he bet TV One's Jack Tame $5 on a Wallabies title win.

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C'mon @Wallabies. We're all right there with you guys!

— Hugh Jackman (@RealHughJackman) October 23, 2015

Taylor Swift wore an All Blacks jersey during a concert in Auckland in 2012, and Canadian rapper Drake donned a Wallabies jersey at a Sydney concert this year - but such blatant pop-star lip-service can't be counted.

Australian model Miranda Kerr has shown genuine support for her national team in the past, working with Qantas to support the Wallabies in New Zealand back in 2011. She was even snapped at North Harbour Stadium with actor husband Orlando Bloom, both in green and gold.

But she has been quiet on social media during this year's Cup, with not even a single tweet of support for the Wallabies.

Judging by Prince Harry's glum face when Australia beat Argentina, it seems the playful royal is not an Aussie fan - which raises questions on who he'll support this weekend.

"Finally, I get one of these," he told Keven Mealamu when presented with an All Blacks jersey during his trip to New Zealand in May.

And if we've got Harry, the Aussies can always have Prince Philip, since he was given a controversial knighthood this year by the then Prime Minister, Tony Abbott.

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He's already been urged to support the Wallabies by Sydney Morning Herald columnist and former Wallaby Peter FitzSimons.

"Somewhere, no doubt, our very own knight, Sir Prince Philip of Australia, will surely be cheering for you," he wrote hopefully.

But as the atmosphere heats up before the final match between the fierce rivals, we'll just have to wait and see how the stars align themselves.

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