Recreation & Sport

While the big name Rugby World Cup teams are beginning to arrive in New Zealand – Fiji yesterday, England, Japan and France tomorrow (31.08.2011) – there’s another team flying in under the radar that’s also destined to turn heads.

All Black coach Graham Henry has revealed his 30-man squad for the Rugby World Cup - 17 days out from kick off.

New Zealand’s rich rugby heritage has a new 21st century face with the reopening of the NZ Rugby Museum, in Palmerston North, today (11.08.11).

Offshore ticket sales indicate that New Zealand will welcome 95,000 international visitors – a rise of 10,000 from earlier predictions – for Rugby World Cup 2011, according to the Tournament organisers.

New Zealand's southern winter slopes are a-buzz with high adrenalin activity as international snow and ice sports stars take their places for the second 100% Pure New Zealand Winter Games.

Sirocco, the rare New Zealand kākāpo parrot whose frisky behaviour with a BBC television crew propelled him to global stardom, will make some cameo appearances during Rugby World Cup.

A wintry blast has dumped a deep snow blanket across New Zealand’s mountains over the past week, leaving ski fields in the north and south in superb shape for the winter season.

On 14 July 1789 the people of Paris stormed the Bastille and now, 221 years later, the French are coming to do battle in Queenstown.

Skiers and snowboarders are clapping their gloved hands and kicking up their snow boots – kei te heke te hukapapa (it is snowing) and the New Zealand ski season is underway.

The last of the tickets for Rugby World Cup 2011 have gone on sale and are going quickly as New Zealand continues to ramp up preparations for hosting the major event.