New Zealand’s Rebel Sport Super 12 franchises have thrown their support behind New Zealand Cricket’s Tsunami appeal efforts and will be supporting the three One Day Internationals between the Black Caps and the FICA World XI.
All three Super 12 teams in the venues where the FICA World XI matches will be played are lending support at the matches which are taking place in Christchurch (January 22), Wellington (January 24) and Hamilton (January 26).
On Saturday, Crusaders coach Robbie Deans and All Black and Crusaders halfback Justin Marshall will be involved in a fundraising celebrity catch competition which will raise funds for the Tsunami appeal during the lunch time break of the first One Day International at Jade Stadium.
When the action swings to Wellington on Monday, All Blacks and Hurricanes players Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith will be participating in a sponsored celebrity race against cricketer Mark Richardson and other sporting celebrities as part of the Tsunami appeal activity.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs have joined forces with Northern Districts Cricket to help raise money for the Tsunami relief fund at the Hamilton match on Wednesday.
During the change of innings at Westpac Park, a number of Chiefs and Northern Knights players will be circulating the crowd and collecting donations and promoting an on-line auction featuring exclusive Chiefs and Knights merchandise.
The auction items include a cricket bat signed by all of the Northern Knights and a framed and fully autographed 2005 Chiefs jersey as one package, and a Northern Knights fully autographed playing shirt and a rugby ball signed by the Chiefs squad. Both auction packages have a reserve price of $750, with all auction proceeds going towards the Tsunami relief fund.
Bids for the two lots can be made on http://www.chiefs.co.nz/ with a link also set up from the Northern Districts website http://www.ndcricket.co.nz/.
Two Chiefs players will also take part in the “Catch for Cash” promotion being run in the dinner break of the Black Caps v World XI match. The promotion will see local identities attempting to catch tennis balls, with differing amounts donated depending on the distance they are caught from.
New Zealand Rugby Union Chief Executive Chris Moller said supporting New Zealand Cricket’s appeal was another way that rugby could contribute to the Tsunami relief, especially as cricket had such close ties to several of the countries affected by the Tsunami.
New Zealand Rugby Players Association Executive Director Rob Nichol said the NZRPA, through its relationships with cricket, had been keen to explore how rugby could support the cricket efforts and he was delighted with the response.
“Like all members of the community, rugby players have been affected by the impact of this disaster and joining together to support the cricket appeal is a way that the franchises and their players can lend a hand.”
The New Zealand Rugby Union has also announced it is joining forces with Save the Children to launch a range of fundraising activities in support of Save the Children’s Indian Ocean Tsunami Appeal around the AXA New Zealand International Sevens.
The NZRPA is also supporting the fundraising initiatives around the AXA New Zealand International Sevens and is encouraging the rugby community to support the fundraising initiatives that the NZRU are running.
For more information, please contact:
Jo Malcolm – Crusaders
Mobile: 027 240 7645
Greg Palmer – Hurricanes
Mobile: 021 650 532
Pat Mellsop – Chiefs
Mobile: 021 884 925
Brian Finn – New Zealand Rugby Union
Mobile: 027 229 5380