Three months after they produced one of the nation's 2008 feel-good stories, the Kiwis will finally get an overdue chance to celebrate their remarkable world cup league triumph on home soil.
The entire world cup-winning squad, staff and management will reunite on February 1 for a two- day celebration of their 34-22 victory over Australia in the November 22 final at Brisbane. Festivities will culminate in a civic reception at the Viaduct Harbour in Auckland.
Weeks of planning for the cash-strapped NZRL have paid off, with Australian clubs all agreeing to release their players for the weekend. Only the English-based Greg Eastwood and Thomas Leuluai will be unable to attend.
The league cannot afford a civic parade, and craftily, are piggy-backing on the upcoming Louis Vuitton yacht series by using big screens and AV equipment erected for that series, which starts on January 31.
The weekend will also include a low-key annual awards ceremony where the New Zealand player and young player of the year will be named during a function, to be screened by Sky, at the Otahuhu rugby league clubrooms at Henham Park.
One of the key elements of the weekend is launching a new initiative to boost playing numbers in the key six to 12 age bracket, called Kids to Kiwis and Prime will televise live a launch clinic at Otahuhu.
The Kiwis will assemble for a team celebration dinner on the Saturday night, and coach Steve Kearney says the weekend will form part of his planning for May's Anzac test, where Australia has its first chance of revenge. He's likely to stage a light training session.
Sunday will be spent at Otahuhu running open coaching clinics and attending the awards function, which in recent years has been a major headache for the league, who have struggled to attract Australia-based players to come home for an evening function.
"Everything has only just come together this week but now, with the launch of Kids to Kiwis and the civic reception at the Viaduct Harbour, the public will have the chance to celebrate the greatest success in New Zealand rugby league history," declared NZRL chairman Ray Haffenden. "It's also a chance for the players to thank the public for their support in helping them reach our game's pinnacle."
The league will leverage their possession of the world cup by sending it on a two-month tour of districts in February to encourage kids to register for the new season.
"This is all about enjoying the success and trying to use it to give the game a much stronger base at grass roots level," Haffenden said. "We need more kids playing rugby league in the six to 12 range."
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