The Eagles in the Waka

September 8, 2011 Leave a comment

During the welcoming ceremony on the 4th, the Eagles were taken out in a Waka – a traditional Māori canoe:

From usarugby.org:
WHANGANUI – USA players battled up the Whanganui River in Maori waka (canoes) on Sunday as they received a traditional welcoming ceremony from the North Island community.

Earlier security concerns were washed away when about 5,000 locals lined the river to cheer their adopted team.
The crowd waved USA flags to welcome their guests, some sported “I love NY” T-shirts and a band even managed a few bars of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Sweet Home Alabama before the Eagles landed at the Union Boat Club.

The Eagles about to take to teh water. Photo credit usarugby.org

The Eagles about to take to teh water. Photo credit usarugby.org

The gathering was all the more remarkable asWhanganui has a population of just 45,000, and prop Mike McDonald could not wipe the smile from his face as he emerged, soaking wet, from the waka.

“To see what it means to these people is amazing,” he said. “I had no idea what to expect, and we’re just overwhelmed.”

His equally wet-looking teammate Hayden Smith was happy to be back on solid ground. “We were just trying to stay on top of our rowing performance,” he said. “It was a bit all over the place at the beginning.”

No change of sport
Despite the successful river outing, he is not about to consider swapping rugby for rowing. “Not a chance,” he said. “That would be a disgrace for rowing.”

Being “chucked out by one of my teammates” would still be more comfortable than having to squeeze into a narrow waka, he added.

Mike McDonald, who will become the USA’s most-capped player if he takes the field against Ireland on September 11 in their Pool C opening match, said he would always remember the people of Whanganui.

“I just appreciate everything the community has done for us,” he said. “It’s somewhere I can really feel at home.”

Earlier in the afternoon, the Eagles took part in a traditional Maori welcome ceremony at the Putaki Marae (meeting area), where they mingled with locals and posed for photographs.

The feel-good nature of the afternoon was lauded by RWC 2011 director Oregan Hoskins, who urged the USA players to make the most of their time in rugby-mad Whanganui.

“Being at a function like this allows us to see the real New Zealand, it’s really fantastic,” he said. “Enjoy your stay, play to the best of your ability – which is what Americans always do. This experience will be etched on your hearts for the rest of your lives.”

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U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific Band – Rugby World Cup Performances

September 2, 2011 9 Comments

The U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific Band
The U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific Band

The U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific Band are coming to New Zealand and will be performing at various venues during the Rugby World Cup.

Under the direction of Chief Warrant Officer 3 Michael Smith, the Marine Forces Pacific Band performs at over 400 commitments each year. From ceremonies to parades, the band is as entertaining as it is regal. Our mission is to enhance the lives of our military and civilian communities through quality musical performance. We are proud to call Kaneohe Bay our home, and look forward to seeing you! Mahalo, and Semper Fidelis! More at:

Times and Places of Performances:

New Plymouth:

10th September: The band will appear on TVNZ’s Saturday Breakfast show at 8:20am.

10th September: Parade to go from Bellringer Pavillion in Pukekura Park to the Taranaki International Village (Puke Ariki, 1 Ariki St., New Plymouth) starts at 11:30am – Marching band.

10th September: Performance at the International Village; 10 September starts at 12pm – official opening of the International Village – band will play until about 1pm – Show Band.

11th September: Performance at the International Village; 11 September starts at 2pm – Show Band.

15th September: Performance at the International Village; 15 September starts at 1:30pm – Show Band.

Pukekura Park:

13th September: Pukekura Park at 7pm.

Stratford:

September 13th: At the Stratford War Memorial Hall.

Hawera:

September 14: Hawera – Concert on 14 September at Hawera Memorial Theatre, Albion St, Hawera. beginning at 6pm – Concert Band. Pick up your free ticket from the South Taranaki i-SITE Visitor Centre 06 278 8599 visitorinfo@stdc.govt.nz

Wellington:

16th September: Old St. Paul’s – Concert Band. Performance at 5:30pm 16 September at Old St. Paul’s Cathedral, 34 Mulgrave St., Thorndon, Wellington.

17th September: Wellington FanZone – Show Band & Party Band. Performing from 12-2pm at Wellington Fanzone – beside Wharewaka on Wellington waterfront.

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Greet the Eagles Rugby Team in Wanganui this weekend

September 2, 2011 1 Comment

If you are near Wanganui this Saturday, you might like to head on down to the Wanganui Airport to greet the USA Eagles team as they arrive at 9am (they will be there only briefly).  Also on Sunday September 4, the Official USA Welcome Ceremony will be at the Putiki Wharanui Marae  from 2pm-4pm.

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New Eagles’ Supporters page goes live

August 11, 2011 Leave a comment

http://usrugbynz.com/eagles-supporters/For those of you who will be following the Eagles at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, check out our new Supporters’ Page. We’ve created this as a sort of one-stop place for information about the locations, games and events. We’re also asking you to keep us in the loop if you know things we don’t. If you’re hosting an American-themed event – pep rally, tailgate, after-party – just flick us the information and we’ll post it. With just 31 days until the USA Eagles-Ireland game on Sept. 11, it’s time to get with it and get organized.

This page will tell you everything from where to buy USA Eagles Kit, to where to mark the 10th anniversary of 9/11, to where the best tailgates are. So check it out, Eagles fans. And, as we said, send us any information you think we’ve missed.

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Nelson: Home to U.S.-Italy game, and a mighty fine place

July 8, 2011 Leave a comment

By Shauna Mendez, Embassy Wellington

Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka a Mauiis the Māori name for the top of the South Island. Legend tells us that Te Tau Ihu was the prow of Maui’s waka, or canoe, from which he fished up the North Island. 

The city of Nelson is close to the centre of New Zealand. It lies at the shore of Tasman Bay, at the northern end of the South Island, and is the administrative center of the Nelson region.  

 The Nelson-Tasman region may well be one of the most diverse tourist destinations in New Zealand.  Nelson is the gateway to three National Parks, including Abel Tasman – the country’s only coastal National Park, surrounded by mountains and known for year-round sun and golden beaches, the region boasts a vibrant arts and culture community and some of the best wineries in NZ. 

 

But most importantly – Nelson is the birthplace of rugby in New Zealand – that’s right, over 140 years ago in May 1870, the first game using recognized rugby rules was played in Nelson between the Nelson Rugby Football Club and Nelson College.  The historic event is attributed to the efforts of Charles Monro, the father of NZ rugby, who was from Nelson.

 

So it’s only fitting that Trafalgar Park will be hosting a number of games during the Rugby World Cup in 2011, including USA vs. Italy on 27 September.

Originally known as The Mudflat Recreation Ground, Trafalgar Park was built in the 1880’s on eight acres of reclaimed land by the Nelson Athletic Ground Company. The park has undergone some upgrades in the past year and will be able to house 18,000 spectators for its RWC games this year.  Located just a five minute walk from the Nelson CBD, Trafalgar Park is the most accessible RWC venues in the country.

There are already lots of great activities and events being planned in Nelson and surrounding towns around the RWC.  The one that we think sounds the most exciting is The Richmond Festival, which will be a red, white, and blue extravaganza of food, drinks, contests, and activities with a USA theme.  

Richmond is the largest urban settlement in the Tasman District, only 15km south of Nelson. Its fast growing population is attracted by the surrounding natural beauty and vibrant feel of the town.

The town of Richmond has elected to ‘adopt’ the USA Eagles as their team to root for and this festival promises to bring the perfect mix of Americana and Kiwiana in the run-up to the game on the 27 of September.  Check out the website for all the details and to see how you can get involved.  The Richmond Festival will be featured on NZ’s Breakfast morning show on 11 July 2011.

For other American-themed fun in the Nelson/Richmond area check out the Nelson USA club and the Golden Bear Brewery.

For more info on all the festivities happening in the region around the Rugby Worlds Cup, have look at some of these useful websites.  You can also sign up on facebook to join the USA RWC 2011 Supporters Group  and get some USA Eagles gear from USA rugby direct.

 Nelson City Council RWC website: http://www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz/rugby-world-cup-2011-nelson/

Festivals: http://www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz/festival/

Sports & Heritage events:  http://www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz/sport-heritage/

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New Plymouth: A home away from home for the Eagles

June 21, 2011 Leave a comment

An occasional series about the sights and sounds the U.S. Eagles and their fans will see during Rugby World Cup 2011.

New Plymouth, in the region of Taranaki, will be where the U.S. Eagles’ spend the largest chunk of their time in New Zealand. There, in the wonderful Yarrow Stadium that was named the third best Rugby stadium on earth, the Eagles will face Ireland, on Sept. 11, and Russia, on Sept. 15.

The stadium, to be known as Stadium Taranaki for RWC 2011, has a capacity of 25,000. On a clear day, Mt. Taranaki, the volcano that was spectacularly featured in “The Last Samurai,” looms in the distance. Snow-covered for much of the year, Mt. Taranaki is an awe-inspiring sight.

New Plymouth, perched on the western side of the North Island, has a population of a little more than 50,000, and is a friendly and picturesque town about a 4 1/2-hour drive from Wellington. The area is largely agricultural, but has a large energy sector presence built around oil and natural gas.

New Plymouth is very excited about playing host to RWC and is advanced in its preparations. The main, oceanfront, drag will be home to an International Village as well as a fan zone and some of the downtown streets will be closed off during games to allow fans more room to celebrate.

While New Plymouth is a little isolated, there is a lot to do in the town. At its heart lies Pukekura Park, the regal and peaceful botanic gardens. At more than a hundred acres, there are miles and miles of wonderful running paths and exotic plants to be seen.

There are plenty of fine restaurants and good watering holes and night life will not be a problem during the RWC. If running is your game, the Coastal Walkway along the Tasman Sea has a perfect 10k pathway. New Plymouth is also known for its Wind Wand, pictured at right. It not only gauges the strength of the wind, but has confused many a newcomer with its eerie red glow at night.

Mt. Taranaki offers a lot of outdoor recreation, from skiing and snowboarding to rock climbing and spectacular alpine walks. The main visitors’ center is just 20 minutes out of New Plymouth.

Numerous events are being planned around the U.S. presence in New Plymouth. We’ll update them on this page as they become finalized. In the meantime, if you’re going to make it over here for RWC, you most certainly will enjoy your time in New Plymouth. It’s a well-kept secret.

- Adrian Pratt, U.S. Embassy Wellington

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Richmond set to “Party in the USA”

April 8, 2011 1 Comment

The last pool game for the U.S.A. Eagles during Rugby World Cup 2011 is against Italy in Nelson on Sept. 27.

The little town of Richmond, just outside Nelson, has adopted the Eagles and will be putting on three days of parties, Sevens Rugby tournaments and Americana around the match. There will even be tailgating, translated roughly – very roughly – by The Nelson Mail as “a car boot picnic.”

About 100,000 fans tailgate before Penn State University gridiron games.

About 100,000 fans tailgate before Penn State University gridiron games.

Tailgating is particularly huge before college football – that’s university gridiron here. Whole villages spring up around the stadiums hours, sometimes days, before the kickoff. Fans set up shop with chairs, canopies, grills and games. Smoke rises from the barbecues as if from the campfires of occupying armies from the days of yore. There is music and frivolity that build up excitement for the game.

The New Zealanders are planning some traditional Kiwi events, too, according to The Mail, including duck herding and gumboot toss, more of which later. We promise

So, anyone wanting to show their support for the Eagles should head out to Jubilee Park for food, fun and games, beginning Sept. 25. There’s even talk of a block party in Richmond with burgers, baton twirlers and classic cars, according to The Mail.

Stay tuned for our plans for the big party in Nelson/Richmond. Until then, though, here’s a big shout-out to the folks in Richmond who are putting on such a great welcome to the Eagles and the USA supporters. We feel at home there already.

Adrian Pratt, U.S. Embassy

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