Canadians and New Zealanders have always had a special bond. We each have a much larger country that looms over us, we’re friendly, polite, self-deprecating and can be more than a little cheeky. And of course, people from both countries have shown a particular fondness for microbrew beer and great wine.
With the Rugby World Cup being held in New Zealand this year from September 9 to October 23, the Canuck-Kiwi connection is set to grow even stronger. The Canadian team will call the magnificent Art Deco city of Napier, located in the beautiful Hawke’s Bay region, “home.”
One award-winning olive producer in Hawke’s Bay has even gone so far as to turn over a new leaf – a maple leaf that is. The staff at Telegraph Hill Olivery have chosen to support the Canadian team during Rugby World Cup as their second favourite team. In New Zealand, the All-Blacks always come first! They have also have created a fun, new olive product with a Canadian twist especially for the tournament. Instead of using their regular Manuka wood chips to smoke their olives, they have imported maple wood chips. The result is an olive that has a hint of sweet smoke with the tones of golden syrup and honey cured bacon – all in honour of the Canadian rugby team.
Always ready to take on the role of great hosts, Kiwis understand that as vital as the sport is to their nation, the party that goes with Rugby World Cup is equally important. With this in mind, the entire country will come alive with the REAL New Zealand Festival, which will bring the Rugby World Cup 2011 experience to life with a nationwide celebration of New Zealand art, food and wine, heritage, culture and entertainment. Visitors can plan their itineraries around following their favourite team and activities in those areas at RealNZFestival.com.
For visitors who are taking advantage of the opportunity to attend the world’s largest sporting event and party of 2011 (taking over the entire country of New Zealand), tickets for many matches – including Canada’s – are still available. To book your last-minute Rugby World Cup travel or to book a future New Zealand vacation, visit Goway.com.
For those who can’t make it there in person, the Canadian matches will be televised. The TSN broadcast schedule is:
September 14 – Tonga vs. Canada – 1 a.m. ET / 10 p.m. PT
September 18 – France vs. Canada – 4:30 a.m. ET / 1:30 a.m. PT
September 27 – Japan vs. Canada – 12 a.m. ET / 9 p.m. PT
October 2 – New Zealand vs. Canada – 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
For more information about New Zealand, please visit: NewZealand.com.
Canadians and New Zealanders have always had a special bond. We each have a much larger country that looms over us, we’re friendly, polite, self-deprecating and can be more than a little cheeky. And of course, people from both countries have shown a particular fondness for microbrew beer and great wine.
With the Rugby World Cup being held in New Zealand this year from September 9 to October 23, the Canuck-Kiwi connection is set to grow even stronger. The Canadian team will call the magnificent Art Deco city of Napier, located in the beautiful Hawke’s Bay region, “home.”
