Four talking points heading into the Rugby World Cup final at Eden Park.
No longer an impossible dream
In April a review into the Black Ferns was released that contained allegations of everything from poor communication by the team’s management, to culturally insensitive comments, favouritism, body shaming, and alack of support for management and players.
Who could have imagined that seven months and one day later the Ferns would be filling Eden Park, playing England in the final of the World Cup?
In just five weeks since they played Australia at Eden Park on the opening day of the Cup, the Ferns have become hugely popular.
I’ve only seen something similar once, in 1981-82, when the All Whites football team made Mt Smart the hottest sporting venue in the country, as they won their way to the ‘82 World Cup in Spain.
Halfway through the campaign left back Adrian Elrick told me how he hoped the team’s success would “change the idea in schools that the soccer team would only get the kids who weren’t good enough to play rugby.” His wish came true, as the image of, and interest in, the sport in New Zealand changed forever. The Ferns are surely driving the same sort of explosion of interest in their sport.
Listen to the headmaster
Sir Graham Henry. Photo / Photosport
Sir Graham Henry has expertly zeroed in on a crucial aspect of the final, the huge gap in experience between the veteran English team, and the comparatively untried New Zealanders.
England, quite rightly, are the favourites, but the heart-stopping semifinal with France was a perfect tutorial in the cauldron that is knockout World Cup play.
Bah humbug to the grouches
As the World Cup has exceeded the most optimistic estimates, the naysayers are increasingly shown to be out of touch. So while it’s a pity, as they howled, there haven’t been any games south of Auckland, interest in the heartland hasn’t plummeted. And yes, it would have been great if all the games were on free to air television, but the Ferns knockout games have been.
The best some of the grouches can offer now is casting doubt on the idea that games have been sold out. It’s true empty seats in the stand in Whangārei was a weird look when the huge banks at the stadium were filled. The reason? Corporate sponsors allocated tickets to customers, with no guarantee that business connections indicated a love of rugby. As for the final? A visit to the Ticketek site confirms that you can’t buy a ticket.
Taking her pick
Ruby Tui has a degree in communications and media studies from Canterbury University, but nobody can teach the timing and humour she brings to the table.
Her career choices after rugby are extensive, and television or radio executives must surely see the potential for her to be as successful on air as she is on the rugby field.
