A SPECIAL GIFT TO THE ALL BLACKS FROM THEIR MAIN SPONSORS - ADIDAS
A special gift from Adidas and the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) will make sure the All Blacks stay connected to their homeland at a purely grass roots level for the World Cup in France this year.
The NZRU and Adidas are in the process of cutting a piece of turf from dozens of grounds around the country.
Soil from the turf will help to make up the gift that the team will take to France in August.
Adidas NZ marketing manager Craig Waugh said the idea behind the campaign was that the 1072 All Blacks to date were "Of This Earth".
"The turf we are collecting from clubs around the country will cover the rugby grounds on which every All Black has played," Craig said.
"We'll then be creating a very special gift to send along to France with the All Blacks when they contest the World Cup."
NZRU marketing manager Fraser Holland said turf would be collected from major stadiums like Eden Park, Waikato Stadium and Carisbrook, as well as small provincial grounds like Southbridge, the home ground to first five-eighths Dan Carter, and Opunake Beach, home to prop Carl Hayman.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
WELL THE AMERICA'S CUP IS OVER FOR ANOTHER FEW YEARS.
Alinghi has beaten Emirates Team New Zealand by 5-2. NZ had a good boat compared to four years ago - the last one literally fell to pieces.
It was a mixture of a slight speed advantage, greater experience and superior sailing skills from the Alinghi syndicate; some bad luck, a few vital errors at the wrong times and some gear failure from Team NZ. Dean Barker continues to grow as a skipper and will improve even more by the next challenge, whenever it might be.
The New Zealand public continues to support Team New Zealand as a national icon, albeit a few levels below the All Blacks. The current New Zealand Government is prepared to financially support them once again, with an advance of $10 milion to get the next challenge under way. The team managemet can then retain those members it wishes to or needs.
There was a lot of emotional out-pouring at Valencia, not all of it was positive, but as they say - thats all history now!
Congratulations on a great team effort, not a success, but not something to be ashamed of either. Come on the All Blacks and the Silver Ferns!!
Alinghi has beaten Emirates Team New Zealand by 5-2. NZ had a good boat compared to four years ago - the last one literally fell to pieces.
It was a mixture of a slight speed advantage, greater experience and superior sailing skills from the Alinghi syndicate; some bad luck, a few vital errors at the wrong times and some gear failure from Team NZ. Dean Barker continues to grow as a skipper and will improve even more by the next challenge, whenever it might be.
The New Zealand public continues to support Team New Zealand as a national icon, albeit a few levels below the All Blacks. The current New Zealand Government is prepared to financially support them once again, with an advance of $10 milion to get the next challenge under way. The team managemet can then retain those members it wishes to or needs.
There was a lot of emotional out-pouring at Valencia, not all of it was positive, but as they say - thats all history now!
Congratulations on a great team effort, not a success, but not something to be ashamed of either. Come on the All Blacks and the Silver Ferns!!
Sunday, July 01, 2007
NZ soldier Willy Apiata to be awarded Victoria Cross for bravery in Afghanistan where he carried wounded colleague to safety
"I was just doing my job boss"
Those were the words of SAS Corporal Willy Apiata when told by his commanding officer he was in line to receive New Zealand's highest military honour for his service in Afghanistan, the Victoria Cross. The last time the nation's highest military decoration was awarded in New Zealand was in 1946.
Corporal Apiata, 35, carried a wounded colleague for 70 metres under heavy fire in 2004. The soldier would have died from the loss of blood.
Prime Minister Helen Clark says awarding a Victoria Cross for the first time since the Second World War, was not taken lightly. "A huge amount of work has been done, to document what happened and to research the precedence for the award of the Victoria Cross, before taking the decision to proceed."
Corporal Apiata becomes one of only 13 living recipients of the VC worldwide. A member of the British Army received the VC for gallantry in Iraq in 2004 and is the only other VC recipient still serving in the military. He will be invested with the Victoria Cross for New Zealand by the Governor-General at a special ceremony to be held at Government House later this month.
Waikato born, Corporal Apiata joined the territorials in 1989 and served in East Timor before making the SAS is 2002. He is father to a four-year-old son.
Three of Corporal Apiata's colleagues are also receiving gallantry awards, but because of the secrecy surrounding the SAS they are not being named.
Defence Minister Phil Goff says New Zealanders can be proud of the extraordinary heroism and outstanding performance of their duties by members of the NZSAS.
"The VC honours a man who put his own life at risk to save the life of a comrade. All of the honours reflect exceptional courage and leadership, and the commitment members of the NZSAS have to each other and to the tasks they are sent to do on behalf of New Zealand.
"They are modest about their achievements but they have contributed to an already proud tradition of military service by the NZSAS and a reputation for being ordinary people doing extraordinary jobs."
"I was just doing my job boss"
Those were the words of SAS Corporal Willy Apiata when told by his commanding officer he was in line to receive New Zealand's highest military honour for his service in Afghanistan, the Victoria Cross. The last time the nation's highest military decoration was awarded in New Zealand was in 1946.
Corporal Apiata, 35, carried a wounded colleague for 70 metres under heavy fire in 2004. The soldier would have died from the loss of blood.
Prime Minister Helen Clark says awarding a Victoria Cross for the first time since the Second World War, was not taken lightly. "A huge amount of work has been done, to document what happened and to research the precedence for the award of the Victoria Cross, before taking the decision to proceed."
Corporal Apiata becomes one of only 13 living recipients of the VC worldwide. A member of the British Army received the VC for gallantry in Iraq in 2004 and is the only other VC recipient still serving in the military. He will be invested with the Victoria Cross for New Zealand by the Governor-General at a special ceremony to be held at Government House later this month.
Waikato born, Corporal Apiata joined the territorials in 1989 and served in East Timor before making the SAS is 2002. He is father to a four-year-old son.
Three of Corporal Apiata's colleagues are also receiving gallantry awards, but because of the secrecy surrounding the SAS they are not being named.
Defence Minister Phil Goff says New Zealanders can be proud of the extraordinary heroism and outstanding performance of their duties by members of the NZSAS.
"The VC honours a man who put his own life at risk to save the life of a comrade. All of the honours reflect exceptional courage and leadership, and the commitment members of the NZSAS have to each other and to the tasks they are sent to do on behalf of New Zealand.
"They are modest about their achievements but they have contributed to an already proud tradition of military service by the NZSAS and a reputation for being ordinary people doing extraordinary jobs."
A DISGUSTING PRACTICE THAT HAS TO BE CONDEMNED BY ANY HUMANE PERSON. THIS IS BARBARIC AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ISLAM...
The reported death of a 12 year old Egyptian girl at the hands of a doctor performing that revolting practice of female circumcision has apparently sparked a public outcry there, and so it should, and has prompted health and religious authorities to ban the practice. It is, after all, a cultural practice that has nothing to do with Islam.
The poor little girl who was named Badour Shaker, died last month while undergoing the procedure in an illegal clinic in the southern town of Maghagh. Her mother, Zeniab Abdel Ghani, said she paid about 50 Egyptian pounds($NZ11.85) to a female physician to perform the disgusting procedure.
The mother also said the doctor tried to bribe her to withdraw a lawsuit accusing the physician of murdering her daughter, in return for 15,000 ponds, but she refused.
A forensic inquiry into the case indicated the girl’s death was caused by an anaethesia overdose.
The reported death of a 12 year old Egyptian girl at the hands of a doctor performing that revolting practice of female circumcision has apparently sparked a public outcry there, and so it should, and has prompted health and religious authorities to ban the practice. It is, after all, a cultural practice that has nothing to do with Islam.
The poor little girl who was named Badour Shaker, died last month while undergoing the procedure in an illegal clinic in the southern town of Maghagh. Her mother, Zeniab Abdel Ghani, said she paid about 50 Egyptian pounds($NZ11.85) to a female physician to perform the disgusting procedure.
The mother also said the doctor tried to bribe her to withdraw a lawsuit accusing the physician of murdering her daughter, in return for 15,000 ponds, but she refused.
A forensic inquiry into the case indicated the girl’s death was caused by an anaethesia overdose.
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