|
 |
All aboard: Queenstowner Gary McVicar's Lakeside Estate lawn after a Friday night mowing session
|
Queenstowners are primed for Sunday’s Rugby World Cup final – and even French locals are backing the All Blacks.
Queenstown-based Marie Helene Noire, of France, not only believes the All Blacks will beat her countrymen 30-18 – she wants them to.
“I’m French but I don’t at all like the French players’ mentality so I’m not supporting them. I’m an All Black’s supporter,” she says.
Queenstowners are showing their support for the boys in black in many ways – rugby-mad 11-year-old Hermione Domingo has sent a board covered in four- and five-leaf clovers collected for luck during the past year to the team. Each clover has been individually named after an All Black.
The team were stoked with the good-luck charm – captain Richie McCaw sent a personal thank-you letter in reply, saying: “Hopefully, we will have enough luck now to do well in this World Cup.”
An inspired Queenstown developer Gary McVicar mowed “Go All Blacks” into the lawn at his Lakeside Estate home on Friday night.
“I’m quietly nervous, very excited. It’s a big game – 24 years,” McVicar says.
“The mindset of this country is so fine-tuned to rugby. Prime Minister John Key will be breathing a sigh of relief if it goes well with the election coming up.
McVicar says New Zealand's endured a tough couple of years and a Rugby World Cup win would be a major confidence boost.
"A win couldn’t come at a better time.”
As for the game, McVicar doesn’t think it’ll be a walkover.
“I reckon it’ll be half an hour of hard work but I think we’ve got the goods. They will come away quite nicely in the second half – I’m reasonably confident.”
Queenstowner Nick Casely-Parker, who has organised a knees-up for before, during and after the game at Queenstown’s Memorial Hall, says he’s almost sold out the corporate tables and the general admission area costing $10 is filling fast.
Casely will have pigs on a spit, booze on sale, the biggest screen in town and top local covers band Mojo warming up the punters pre-game. DJ Tim Sargeant will get the place pumping after the match.
Casely predicts: “I’m not thinking it’s going to be a runaway like everyone else is saying. I’m thinking the Kiwis by seven points. It’s a final and form goes out the window.”
Bring it on.
Marshall: Queenstown should have got a game
|
Your say
There are no comments on this article.
Have your say
You will need to register or login before you can post a comment.
