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Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
McCaw uplifts young rugby fans
He has lifted the Webb Ellis Trophy twice and more silverware than you can count, but bringing smiles to Wānaka's biggest rugby fans gives Richie McCaw a sky-high feeling. The former All Black captain was the pilot of a memorable flight for four of Wānaka's people with disabilities from the Mint Charitable Trust yesterday morning. McCaw flew All Blacks fans Eli Larose, 14, Ewan Little, 22, Lachlan Davison, 19, and Reuben Beston, 14, to the top of Coromandel Peak to chuck around a rugby ball at 1200m. "This is the first time I have done something like this with the helicopter," McCaw said. "With me being based down here now, they asked if I could come [and] take the team for a ride and I am more than happy to do that. "Over the years I have done a few things like this [charitable causes] to give people a smile. "It is amazing that with a little bit of a time out of your day, you can make a difference." McCaw and his wife Gemma, along with their three daughters, moved to Upper Clutha from Christchurch at the end of last year. Mr Davison said he had been in a helicopter before, but never with McCaw. He was a huge All Blacks fan and said it felt "pretty cool" to have him as his pilot. Reuben said he was excited to say hello to his biggest rugby hero, and new local celebrity. "I have seen him at the supermarket, but I have never said hi to him — I was too scared. "He is my favourite All Black." McCaw said he had not been flying as frequently as he would like, but would not mind getting back in the cockpit. "I have been doing a little bit less lately as I have been getting myself sorted down here. "I am keen to keep flying so I am still working that one out." He had taken his children in the helicopter a few times. "The first time I took them up they all fell asleep — the vibrations put them to sleep." Yesterday morning's flight was a rewarding one for everyone. "Whether you're flying or whatever, when kids get excited doing whatever it is, it's great. "There are obviously a couple of excited fellas here, and they love the Crusaders." He and the family were enjoying the change of pace and environment in the South. "We have holidayed here for a long time. "With all the outdoors ... the kids have a bit of space [and] it suits us well." The flight was organised by charity Uplift in Kind which aims to brings hope and joy to children and families facing illness or hardship by giving them the unforgettable experience of flight. With the support of aviation partner Wānaka Helicopters, the flight was all fee free for parents and children.
NZ Herald
01-05-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Will the new Christchurch stadium honour sports legends with stand names?
The fully enclosed venue of many names may have a few more to consider before the doors open, such as naming the stands after the region's sporting legends. The current names, though geographically accurate, lack any sort of significance or creativity. Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger at the city's $683 million stadium Te Kaha/One New Zealand stadium. Photo / George Heard 'The stands at One New Zealand Stadium are currently called the East, West and South stands. Any alternatives will be considered later in the year,' Venues Ōtautahi chief executive Caroline Harvie-Teare said. Other areas already bear historically inspired names. 'The northern stage pocket at the Hereford St end of the stadium has been named The Lancaster, as a homage to Lancaster Park,' she said. The Lancaster will host The Field Club premium hospitality for sports events. It will be used for the stage during full concerts and will feature additional seating for large sports events such as All Blacks tests. 'Also marking Lancaster Park is the 1881 Club,' Harvie-Teare said. 'The 1881 Club is the centre suite on level two. This exclusive private-member club, which will cater for 42 guests, is named after the year Lancaster Park opened and the exclusive club that ran at Lancaster Park under the same name.' But the big-ticket items - the stands - are still up for grabs. Canterbury royalty: Richie McCaw and Dan Carter with the Webb Ellis Trophy after the 2015 Rugby World Cup final at Twickenham. Could you be sitting in the McCaw Stand? Will you be on the halfway line of the Carter Stand? Have you got a season pass in the nosebleed section of the Marshall-Mehrtens Stand? Which other legendary surnames are fit for a stand? Sportswriter and broadcaster Phil Gifford pointed to the man behind a record that, in his opinion, could stand for 'three lifetimes'. 'Dare I say it, I reckon it's hard to go past [Scott] Razor Robertson,' he said. 'Razor played all his Super Rugby for Canterbury, played 99% of his provincial rugby for Canterbury, and of course coached the Crusaders to seven titles.' The late red-and-black icon Alex 'Grizz' Wyllie is another on Gifford's list. 'What he did for Canterbury is kind of extraordinary. He played some crazily large number of games as a player and a captain. Then, as a coach, he won the Ranfurly Shield and had the 'match of the century'. I think he has to be in the mix.' Broadcaster and Sport Canterbury Hall of Fame inductee Lesley Murdoch said she'd like to see some female names in the mix, including Kendra Cocksedge. Les McFadden, life member of the Canterbury Rugby Union, said he'd like to see the Deans name reinstated after a very short tenure at Lancaster Park. 'It was built for the [2011] Rugby World Cup – it was called the Deans Stand. And then the earthquake came and that was it,' McFadden said. British Lions halfback Gareth Edwards passes to first five Barry John during the third test against the All Blacks at Lancaster Park in 1971. The number 3 stand (left) and the number 4 stand (right) are packed. Photo / File The Deans Stand (named after Bob, Robbie and Bruce) and the Hadlee Stand (named after Sir Richard, Dayle, Barry and their father Walter in 1995) stood at Lancaster Park before the earthquake. There was also the Paul Kelly Stand – a sponsorship bought by a car dealer rather than recognition for services to used car sales. But before that, the stands had simpler names: the No 1, 2 and 3 (which became Deans), the iconic No 4 (that had Canterbury Draught painted on the roof) and the No 5 (which made way for the DB and then Tui Stands). The sprawling embankment was torn up to make way for the Paul Kelly Stand in 2000. Lancaster Park during the last few days of demolition after the 2011 earthquakes. Photo / Kurt Bayer The Hadlee name now lives on at Hagley Oval, Canterbury's home of cricket. Few other major venues in New Zealand dedicate names to sporting icons – not because they don't have anyone worthy of the honour, but because it's a lost revenue opportunity. Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin has the Mitre 10 Mega Stand, the Speight's Stand and the Forsyth Barr Stand. It also has the North Stand - at least until another company buys the rights. Three of Eden Park's four stands have naming rights sponsors – no mention of Brooke, Jones, Fitzpatrick or Fox. Big grounds overseas are more in tune with honouring their past. The Melbourne Cricket Ground has the Shane Warne Stand and the Bill Ponsford Stand, the Adelaide Oval has the Chappell Stand and Old Trafford – the home of Manchester United - has the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand. It seems more likely that Christchurch's new stadium will go with sponsors' names but, if Canterbury chooses to honour its past, who do you think should be top of the list?
The Independent
30-01-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Why this Six Nations will decide the future of French rugby
The trope that 'you never know which France are going to turn up' for the Six Nations has long since been dispelled. Truthfully, it was always more lazy stereotype than searingly accurate truism but, in recent years, they have become perhaps the most consistent rugby force in the northern hemisphere. Since Fabien Galthie took charge following the 2019 World Cup, Les Bleus haven't finished lower than second in the five editions of the Six Nations they've contested. They've developed an explosive, scintillating back-line that has game-changers in every position, led by the best player in the world, with a skillset the sport has never seen before, in Antoine Dupont. Athletic freaks dotted throughout their pack, combined with a dynamic but hard-grafting back row, possibly the best complete coaching staff in world rugby installing systems the players buy into and the best domestic league on the planet providing a pipeline of fresh talent have all added up to make them a formidable force. This 'golden generation' that, in addition to Dupont, boasts superstars such as Romain Ntamack, Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Gregory Alldritt and Uini Atonio has thrilled fans but also avoided the dysfunction that sometimes plagued former iterations of the French team. Yet for all the plaudits they rightly receive, the 2025 Six Nations is the most important in French rugby history and will likely come to define not only this squad but the future direction of the national team. No country is under greater pressure and this championship is the very definition of must-win for Les Bleus as they approach a fork in the road. For all their brilliance, France have won precisely one Six Nations title since 2010. Yes, their 2022 grand slam was awfully impressive but fail to win the title this year and their return will be just one crown in 15 years. By contrast, England and Wales have claimed four Six Nations championships in that time, while Ireland have five. The trophy cabinet is embarrassingly bare and it's now reached the point where they must put up or shut up in terms of silverware. Galthie is clearly a fine coach but when a frustrating 13-13 draw with Italy in Lille last year swiftly followed a limp 38-17 loss to Ireland in Marseille to begin the championship, there were the first murmurs that the 55-year-old may lose his job. Those whispers got loud enough that French Rugby Federation president Florian Grill was forced to come out and say he wasn't about to sack his head coach but another trophyless Six Nations will only increase the noise around whether the entire Galthie project has run its course. Of course, under the management of the former scrum half, everything had been building to the home World Cup in 2023, when Les Bleus were destined to become just the second northern hemisphere team, after England's class of 2003, to lift the Webb Ellis Trophy – doing so in front of their adoring public at the Stade de France. Unfortunately, they hadn't counted on a Springbok juggernaut standing in their way at the quarter-final stage and one of the most gripping Test matches of all time ending in heartbreak. It would be harsh to call that an outright failure for Galthie but the expectation was that they would end the tournament holding the trophy aloft and that didn't happen. It's not easy to pick yourself up from that sort of crushing disappointment, so perhaps the 2024 Six Nations was seen as something of a free hit, especially with Dupont absent as he turned his attention to sevens ahead of the Olympics. But add the World Cup failure to their habit of sending second-string teams on the summer tours and it's clear that all the eggs are in the Six Nations basket. There is no acceptable excuse for them not to triumph this year. Dupont combining with a fit-again Ntamack immediately gives them by far the strongest half-back pairing in the championship, while it's fairly straightforward to build a case against each of their five rivals. Ireland are playing with a temporary head coach and looked fallible in the autumn, Scotland have been hit by the injury bug just when they might finally have had an opportunity to end a 25-year trophy drought, England spent 2024 proving they are unable to win tight games amid an ongoing identity crisis, Italy's positive green shoots are not remotely near enough to yet be considered title contenders and the less said about Wales, the better... Even if France weren't impressive in their own right, they might be favourites for the title by default. The bookies agree, and have them just ahead of Ireland at the head of the betting market, while a schedule that begins with a gentle home 'test' against beleaguered Wales followed by a trip to Twickenham to face an England side who they beat by a record margin there two years ago is relatively friendly. The beauty of this being a sliding doors Six Nations for the boys in blue is that if they can actually go on to lift the trophy, it will vindicate everything they're doing. A frustrating 18 months consisting of World Cup heartbreak and two Six Nations failure would instead suddenly become a year that has seen Toulouse cement themselves as the best club team on the planet, the Dupont-inspired sevens side win Olympic gold on home soil to partly banish those World Cup memories and a Six Nations crown secured. French rugby would suddenly be in a very good place. It would be full steam ahead to the 2027 World Cup, after which Galthie's contract ends, and while nothing will ever truly salve the wound of not lifting the Webb Ellis Trophy in Paris, there would be genuine belief they could at least become world champions for the first time in someone else's backyard. This Six Nations is more important for France than any other team – in fact, it is pretty much existential for Galthie specifically – and one way or another, by 11pm on 15 March 2025, the future of French rugby will be set.
