Rugby legends host students at Fiji vs. Samoa match

Roscommon Primary and Mt Eden Normal show their Pacific Island support at Rugby World Cup 2011

Auckland, 26 September 2011 – Twenty students from Roscommon and Mt Eden Normal primary schools have had a priceless Rugby World Cup 2011 experience, courtesy of MasterCard and the New Zealand Rugby Union, attending the RWC 2011 clash between Fiji and Samoa at Eden Park yesterday.

Ten students from Roscommon Primary School in Manurewa, supporting Fiji, were hosted in a suite at the game by former All Black winger Joe Rokocoko and former Fijian fullback Alfred Uluinayau, while 10 students from Mt Eden Normal Primary School showed their support for Samoa in a suite hosted by Pat Lam, former captain of Samoa and current coach of the Blues Super Rugby team.

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The Roscommon Primary students were chosen as they represented Fiji at the Rippa World Cup in Auckland last month. Supporting Samoa and hosted by Lam, the NZRU selected Mt Eden Normal to take part in this experience, as the school was another keen participant in the Rippa World Cup.

Prior to the game, the students, with their faces painted in team colours, and the host Rugby stars gathered at Mt Eden Normal. Roscommon laid down a traditional Pacific Island challenge performing the cibi (the Fijian equivalent of the haka) led by Rokocoko and Uluinayau, before the students from Mt Eden and Lam responded with the Samoan siva tau.

Making the most of the experience, the students enjoyed food and soft drinks in the suites before and after the match and were able to get caps and t-shirts autographed by the host stars.

On Friday, members of Auckland’s rugby community were granted a behind-the-scenes look at the final training sessions of Fiji and Samoa at their captain’s runs at Eden Park. After watching each team train for 15 minutes, the lucky attendees were taken on a VIP stadium tour by RWC 2011 representatives where they got a sneak peek into the team locker rooms and media centre.

Both experiences, part of MasterCard’s Worldwide Partnership with RWC 2011, were intended to provide people involved at the grassroots level with unforgettable Rugby memories. MasterCard’s New Zealand Country Manager Albert Naffah said that these are just a couple of the ways MasterCard is connecting the country’s youngest rugby fans with their sporting heroes.

“We’re very excited to be able to give children in Auckland, and around the country, opportunities like this throughout RWC 2011 and their passion and enthusiasm is infectious. MasterCard is committed to bringing fans closer to the game of Rugby and connecting them with their local and international heroes,” Mr Naffah said.

NZRU General Manager Community and Provincial Union Rugby Brent Anderson said it was great to work with MasterCard to see young players and volunteers from the grassroots game given the opportunity to be part of RWC 2011.

“These two schools – Roscommon and Mt Eden – fully embraced the opportunity to be part of the recent Rippa World Cup, and it’s fitting that we can reward them with this wonderful experience.”

ENDS

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