#super xv

[lbatlas]

Hurricanes rugby training facility

[lbatlas]

Visited the super XV 2015 rugby champions: the Highlanders. This trophy weighs 52 pounds.

[aotearoaadventures-blog]

Museums and Matches

The South Island was incredible! I took an absurd amount of pictures and had experiences I’ll never forget. It’s also quite likely that I’ve already seen the most beautiful scenery I ever will in my life.It’s all downhill after this. My favorite experience by far was getting to go to a Crusaders home game. I seriously could not have chosen a better match to attend. They won by 40 points, I saw one of the most spectacular tries ever from Sam Whitelock, and I got to meet almost the whole team after the match and get their autographs! Best Christmas present ever! (Shout out to my dad for the tickets)

Sam Whitelock is an All Black as well as a Crusader. Along with his All Black counterpart, Brodie Retallick, he’s the best in the world at his position. He was super friendly and personable. Very easy to talk to. He’s also enormous in person (6′8″)

Richie McCaw is the All Blacks’ captain. He’s considered by many to be the greatest player of all time. This is likely his last year of rugby before he retires so I was super lucky to get to meet him. This is essentially like meeting Michael Jordan.

Dan Carter is also an All Black. He also has the most points in world rugby history, the next closest player that is still active trails him by 800 points. If McCaw is like Jordan than consider Carter like Peyton Manning.

Kieran Read is also an All Black and is being groomed to take McCaw’s spot as captain. In 2013 he was voted the best rugby player in the world. He was really cool and friendly to me as well. In addition to the Crusaders match, I also got to explore Christchurch. I walked the gardens in the park downtown and spent like 3 hours in the museum. I also got to see the terrible aftermath of the earthquake that hit it in 2011. There were huge patches of the city that were just vacant lots and buildings that just had huge holes in them; it was very sobering. The morning after the Crusaders match I got up at 6, and caught a plan to Wellington at 7. I spent the day exploring the national museum, Te Papa, and the parliament building. At night I went to see the Hurricanes play at WestPac Stadium. Another amazing match! I didn’t get to meet any players after the match, but I did catch a brief glimpse of Prince Harry.

At WestPAc Stadium

Prince Harry, a few rows behind me at the match. On Sunday, I caught a bus to Palmerston North and spent almost 5 hours in the New Zealand Rugby Museum. I could have spent many more hours in there. I read every single thing in the museum and took pictures of almost all of it as well.

The whistle used to start every Rugby World Cup. It was also used in the 1924 Olympics where the USA won the gold medal.

The coin used for the flip of the first match at every Rugby World Cup. Now I’m safely back in Auckland and trying to soak up as much of New Zealand as I can before I have to leave on the 20th.

[jcompte]

another shot from da footy

[retrobomb]

Super Rugby 

Yew.

[thegreatcrusade-rs]

Super Rugby Fantasy Tumblr League

Hey there everyone!

If anyone is keen on joining a Super Rugby fantasy league, like what happened last year, come join!

Simply go to this site http://superrugbyfantasy.foxsports.com.au/ and create your team, then join a league called 'Missy Dog 2014'. The enrolment code is 16368-6356. If you do join, message me just so we know who is who and so I can put you in the fantasy group on tumblr :)

Absolutely anyone is free to join, no matter what part of the world you're in, even if we've never spoken, so come along!

[ilovetherugby]

For all my followers in the Southern Hemisphere 20 DAYS WOO

[best-partof-believe-is-the-lie]

Maybe the Crusaders should get Robbie back and they might actually win a super rugby title again. Good job Chiefs!