Massey robot predicts Wallabies win

A narrow victory to the Australians is the prediction by a Massey University goal-kicking robot for this weekend’s eagerly awaited Rugby World Cup semi-final between trans-Tasman rivals.
The robot was recruited by Australia’s News Limited – which may arouse suspicions about the validity of the exercise – for a light-hearted forecast for Sunday’s semi-final clash between the All Blacks and the Wallabies.

The robot, named Woderwick, was created by Dr Rory Flemmer, a senior lecturer at the School of Engineering and Advanced Technology at the Manawatu campus.

He was approached by the Australian network News Limited this week for a televised gimmick kick-off outside The Cloud on Auckland’s Queen’s Wharf to predict the outcome of this weekend’s match.

The robot took turns to kick wearing a Wallabies yellow shirt and hat, then an All Black jersey to take six kicks for each side. The Wallabies triumphed, kicking five out of six to the All Blacks’ four.

Woderwick joined his Albany campus counterpart, Robo Dan, earlier in the week at Auckland’s Victoria Park for a metal versus mortal goal-kicking contest against All Black legend Andrew Mehrtens, attracting national and international media. Woderwick performed brilliantly in the warm-up, but Robo Dan drew with the Mehrtens in the final result.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCRHARWRBSY&eid=305726449601909663