City to welcome the Lions’ pride
Christchurch police say the city could be swelled by as many as 25,000 supporters of the British and Irish Lions rugby team when it sweeps in for the 25 June Test match against the All Blacks at Jade Stadium.
The Council is working with the hospitality sector, the Canterbury Rugby Football Union and emergency services to make sure those visitors – 70 per cent of them men – have a great time.
“I want everyone to go away with a good impression of the city,” says Craig McKay, one of the Police Inspectors involved in planning for the influx. “We want them to remember the city and come back with their families for a holiday next year.”
Most arrivals happen on 23 and 24 June. Even so, planning for the 22 June Ranfurly Shield match between Canterbury and Marlborough is proceeding on the basis that Jade Stadium will be filled.
To emphasise the city’s family friendly credentials, the City Council is organising the Footy in the Square event on 25 June. Two big screens will be put up alongside the Cathedral for the crowd to watch live coverage of the match. Four lucky people will be taken from the crowd to Jade Stadium and given the last four seats to watch the Test.
Virtually every campervan in the country will be used by Lions supporters and to help ensure their possessions remain safe, the Council is setting up two secure areas in the central city for people to leave their vans. One is the old Turners and Growers site and the other the Council car park on Tuam Street.
On 23 June, voting closes and five finalists are selected in the schools’ “Black Out” competition. The winning school will be announced on 24 June, when some famous players will present the prizes. The City Council competition is designed to let the visitors know where local allegiance lies and encourages all school pupils to dress in black on the Friday to show support for the All Blacks. Also planned that day is a lunchtime concert in the Square.
For more information about the Lions in Christchurch, keep an eye on this Council website — www.ccc.govt.nz/Christchurch/Lions
Famous Kiwi photojournalist Peter Bush has covered every Lions Tour of New Zealand since 1966. A selection from these Tours is on show at the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu until 26 June. The picture shown is of the third Test in 1965, at Lancaster Park in Christchurch, before a crowd of 52,000. This famous All Black team had strong Christchurch and Canterbury connections, including Greymouth-born High School Old Boys winger Tony Steel, Christchurch-born second-five Ian MacRae and Jack Hazlett, the Christ’s College-educated Southland skipper who propped the scrum. Canterbury is one of five provinces Auckland flanker Kel Tremain (with the ball) represented, while halfback Chris Laidlaw, an Otago stalwart, made one appearance for the red and blacks in 1968. The 1960s was a golden era in All Black rugby. They had a series win over the Springboks and boasted a fearsome forward pack. The Lions arrived in New Zealand after beating Australia twice but were promptly brought to earth, going down 14-8 to Southland in the opening match. All Black coach Fred Allen’s team won all four Test matches. (Much of this information from Lindsay Knight’s profiles for the New Zealand Rugby Museum — look on the web at www.rugbymuseum.co.nz)
|
