Taylo2
Academy Player
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2011
- Messages
- 75
- Country Flag
- Club or Nation
Well the trip of a life time is almost over, now at the final weekend. I've been out in New Zealand for a month now and I want to extend a huge, massive thank you to everyone I have encountered here, directly and indirectly.
Away from the rugby for a moment, I have learnt so so so much about life in the Pacific and New Zealand, not only the European influenced NZ, but the traditional Maori side of the country. The trip has been such an eye opener, and I will have to return one day to do all the many things I simply did not have time for. As a 26 year old in a city the other side of the world, I am amazed and grateful, for all the good will shown by the people of New Zealand, and many of the fans from around the world I have met. I can probably count on one hand the amount of bitterness/bad will I have encountered in the entire month here.....which has been blown away by the positives. It has been such an amazing advert for the country and your people, a way of life and culture I wish we had back home.
The rugby itself, we aside the disappointment of England, which has simply been a disgrace on & off the field, the rugby has been amazing. From the stewards on road side, to those in the stadium....the programme sellers, the kiosk workers, the security and the police, EVERYONE has been amazing. I hope beyond hope, future holders of the tournament, of any competition, takes notes on how to run a world renowned competition. Everything has worked, and worked well, without feeling like a cold hard machine. Everyone is filled with warmth and even the rivalries between nations has be good humoured, well in most cases, of course you get a handful of idiots, but this should in no way blemish what has been quite an experience.
The point of my post? Mainly a thank you, to all involved in this trip, right from the people at England Rugby, through to the competition organisers, and every single smiling face I have seen in the past 4 weeks, and trust me, there has been too many to count! A great example came yesterday, walking down Queens Street in Auckland, waiting to cross the road, a New Zealander, probably around my age, just speaks to me about the rugby, granted I was wearing an Auckland shirt, but it was all so friendly, so good willed and hell he even seemed to be pleased that people have come all the way from England, yes even the English have been made to feel welcome!! Would we have had the same chat if it was in London, say in 2015 during the world cup and I was speaking to a random council worker? Sadly I fear not, but hopefully, maybe, just maybe, the people on high organising the next world cup will have learnt a lot from this year....and bring some of the fantastic warmth of the Kiwis to England for RWC2015.
So thank you New Zealand, Kia Ora
And to the All Blacks Kia Kaha
(hope I said that right :S)
Away from the rugby for a moment, I have learnt so so so much about life in the Pacific and New Zealand, not only the European influenced NZ, but the traditional Maori side of the country. The trip has been such an eye opener, and I will have to return one day to do all the many things I simply did not have time for. As a 26 year old in a city the other side of the world, I am amazed and grateful, for all the good will shown by the people of New Zealand, and many of the fans from around the world I have met. I can probably count on one hand the amount of bitterness/bad will I have encountered in the entire month here.....which has been blown away by the positives. It has been such an amazing advert for the country and your people, a way of life and culture I wish we had back home.
The rugby itself, we aside the disappointment of England, which has simply been a disgrace on & off the field, the rugby has been amazing. From the stewards on road side, to those in the stadium....the programme sellers, the kiosk workers, the security and the police, EVERYONE has been amazing. I hope beyond hope, future holders of the tournament, of any competition, takes notes on how to run a world renowned competition. Everything has worked, and worked well, without feeling like a cold hard machine. Everyone is filled with warmth and even the rivalries between nations has be good humoured, well in most cases, of course you get a handful of idiots, but this should in no way blemish what has been quite an experience.
The point of my post? Mainly a thank you, to all involved in this trip, right from the people at England Rugby, through to the competition organisers, and every single smiling face I have seen in the past 4 weeks, and trust me, there has been too many to count! A great example came yesterday, walking down Queens Street in Auckland, waiting to cross the road, a New Zealander, probably around my age, just speaks to me about the rugby, granted I was wearing an Auckland shirt, but it was all so friendly, so good willed and hell he even seemed to be pleased that people have come all the way from England, yes even the English have been made to feel welcome!! Would we have had the same chat if it was in London, say in 2015 during the world cup and I was speaking to a random council worker? Sadly I fear not, but hopefully, maybe, just maybe, the people on high organising the next world cup will have learnt a lot from this year....and bring some of the fantastic warmth of the Kiwis to England for RWC2015.
So thank you New Zealand, Kia Ora
And to the All Blacks Kia Kaha
(hope I said that right :S)
