Dressing up Rugby

New Zealand International Sevens general manager Steve Walters estimates the competition, now in its 1th year, brought in close to $18 million for Wellington in February. And that doesn’t include the benefits to the surrounding region. Wellington is one of eight legs on the global seven-a-side tournament’s annual calendar that includes stops in Hong Kong and Dubai. For most people, it’s not the game that attracts them to the capital city for the two-day event — it is the party. Walters said in the past, only about 1 per cent of patrons donned costumes. Today, those who spurn the fad are now in the minority. About 95 per cent of the sell-out crowd of 35, dressed up in costume, and each year the costumes become more extreme. This year at the tournament, there were foam-suited Gingerbread Men, a rubber-clad Frankenstein, plenty of spandex and Lycra and characters from local and global movies. Two friends even turned themselves into flashing railway crossing signs.


Tags: New Zealand International Sevens  Rugby  rugby sevens  Wall Street Journal (The)  

One Point Closer to Hall of Fame for Lydia Ko

One Point Closer to Hall of Fame for Lydia Ko

New Zealander Lydia Ko has started her new season in style with victory at Florida’s Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions on the LPGA Tour, Mike Hall reports for the UK…