Rugby world cup .. crunching the numbers over the years

My daughter loves figures and did this chart … now she hope to be in the UK for the next RWC!

New Zealand in Rugby World Cup

 

Year	Location	NZ place	Final Won	Final Lost	Teams
1987	New Zealand & Australia Eden Park, Auckland	1st	New Zealand 29	France 9	16
1991	England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France Twickenham Stadium, London	3rd (won against Scotland 13-6 after losing to Australia 6-16 in semis)	Australia 12	England 6	16
1995	South Africa Ellis Park, Johannesburg	2nd	South Africa 15	New Zealand 12	16
1999	Wales (also England, France, Scotland and Ireland) Millennium Stadium, Cardiff	4th (lost to SA 18-22 after losing to France 31-43 in semis)	Australia 35	France 12	20 – 1st professional RWC
2003	Australia Telstra Stadium, Sydney	3rd (won 40-13 against France after losing to Australia 10-22 in semis)	England 20	Australia 17	20
2007	France (+ 4 in Wales & 2 in Scotland) Stade de France, St-Denis, Paris	Quarter Finalists (lost to France 18-20)[1]	South Africa 15	England 6	20
2011	New Zealand Eden Park, Auckland	1st	New Zealand 8	France 7	20

 

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[1] Australia also lost in Quarters, against England 10-12; Fiji lost to SA; Scotland lost to Argentina – Argentina ended up 3rd beating France in the Bronze Final

Free bike tours in Christchurch NZ

Great to see yet another quake-affected business is up and running again. Congratulations!

To celebrate the start of their summer season Christchurch Bike Tours are running FREE two-hour guided bicycle tours!

Saturday 16th October 2011

Dress Code – You must be wearing your best RWC supporters outfit.

Tours depart from outside the Antigua Boat Sheds

NOTE: Bookings are essential.

Call 0800 733 257 to reserve a space  (ONLY  from New Zealand of course)

these people would not qualify .. no rugby gear!

Poignant photo from Christchurch & a letter to the All Blacks

This poignant photo I took in  Christchurch reminds me of the quake-ruined cathedral, the lack of Rugby World Cup events in my old city, the loss of  Lancaster Park/AMI Stadium, and now one of our Cantabrians, Dan Carter, being injured and out of the RWC (this time) too.

It also reminds us rugby it’s a team sport and we kiwis are part of the team so lets keep supporting black and keep painting it black.

Kia kaha ALL BLACKS – we’re behind each player.

So, enjoy the games, do your best and we WILL love you win or lose – we are proud of you all  –  you know that!

Despite rumours, visitors attractions are open in Christchurch, New Zealand

Despite rumours to the contrary, many visitor attractions in Christchurch are open! The International Antarctic Centre, the Tranz-Alpine rail experience, the Air Force Museum, Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, Hassle-free Tours, Tanks for Everything, Horsepower Experience, Christchurch Casino, Ferrymead Heritage Park and Up, Up and Away ballooning adventures and Beadz Unlimited, are just some of the over 26 Christchurch’s tourism attractions in full operation – and these numbers are increasing as I write.

In September and October many more will be back in action: Canterbury Museum, a central-city  iSITE Centre, and Christchurch Bike Tours to name a few.

I went to the multi-award-winning International Antarctic Centre to see its new movie experience, ‘Ice Voyage’, a 4D movie that involves an all-round total sensory experience: with seals sneezing on me; ice about to pierce us; and a gull that … well go and see! I loved the young penguins with their fluffy highland cow-like scarves and coats! Despite real snow on the ground, outside, we, the audience, felt part of a real Antarctic storm – sort of like coals to Newcastle!  Of course, as usual here, kids of all ages love riding the real Antarctic all-terrain Hagglund vehicle, while I spend ages with the very cute, rescued, penguins in the indoor-outdoor penguin viewing area

Outdoor experiences include visiting Christchurch’s world renown, Botanic Gardens which are open, and with their Caterpillar Garden Tours operating.

Punting on the Avon at the Antigua Boatsheds is a time-old activity for locals and visitors, a leisurely way to see another side of the city – and in cold weather make sure you wrap up with the blankets they offer.

 There’s no-where to stay? Well, that’s not true either! Between Christchurch International Airport and the central city there are 11 hotels, 5 lodges and apartments, 109 motels, 15 holiday parks, 15 backpacker lodges and 68 bed & breakfasts in full operation. There should be something to suit every taste. I stayed in the central city at the 5-star Classic Villa, a handy spot to walk to the new Events Village which has sprung up in North Hagley Park  ( NZs’ largest urban open space -164.637 hectares) to host performances and events in the city for the next six months.

Set up by Christchurch City Council, with support of the Government, a large inflatable dome is the centrepiece of the village.  Two large geodesic domes are also underway for events throughout the year – of course the Rugby World Cup Fanzone will be set in this Events village too. The ever-popular World Buskers Festival will be the last event set in the Events Village, from 19-29 January 2012 and the Ellerslie International Flower Show will be back in Hagley Park in March 2012.

For more information when in Christchurch, a temporary iSITE Visitor Centre is in the foyer of The Chateau on the Park hotel, Deans Avenue, open seven days a week, 8.30am to 5pm.

The earth from above and snow below – in Christchurch

The “Earth from Above” is a free outdoor exhibition that runs down Rolleston Ave (from the Armagh St Bridge down to the  Canterbury Museum  in the Cultural Precinct of Christchurch, New Zealand. ( The museum hopes to re-open on 2nd Sept)

These large-scale images, taken over a 15-year period by photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand, are commanding in their presence: the snow added to my enjoyment and thoughts about the pictures and facts (especially the NZ facts) that were presented under some.

Start one end and walk both ways for these double-sided photos

 

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Check out the Arts Festival for more information

In the Events Village, this dome,  which has been used over the past few years in Christchurch  for ice-skating in the Square a couple of years ago and some of the Buskers Festival events earlier this year, looks more like an igloo today!

Hagley Park, New Zealand’s largest city park will be home to the rugby world cup fanzone later this year too – a great setting.