England Team Members Win Hearts At Local School

Some of the big names of the English rugby team turned out to share their skills and stories and stoke the fires of fandom amongst the younger generation today.

Rugby fans and rugby players at Wakatipu High School and Arrowtown Primary School were able to get up close and personal with the players, who arrived in style in Helicopter Line choppers after a tandem flight via the Remarkables Range. The helicopters then parted company to land in the school grounds.

Prop Dan Cole, flanker Tom Croft and hooker Steve Thompson, received a warm welcome from the assembled crowd as they exited the helicopter but the biggest cheers were for first-five Jonny Wilkinson.

The England players were escorted into the school stadium where they witnessed a powerful haka from Wakatipu High School’s rugby squad, then it was off to the field for a ball handling session.

Wakatipu High School student Brooklyn Niwa, who played for the Otago Country Under 14 team this year rated the experience highly.

“They taught us a lot of things that were new to us and we’ll definitely be using it,” he said.

Meanwhile players arriving at Arrowtown were greeted by the entire school decked out in red and white for the occasion. English prop Alex Corbisiero, hooker Dylan Hartley, flanker James Haskell and wings Chris Ashton and Mark Cueto were all smiles when they alighted from their Helicopter-Line flight.

The players enjoyed a high spirited haka before being formally welcomed by school Principal Robin Harris.

England wing Mark Cueto responded to the welcome with a speech in which he paid tribute to the Arrowtown Rippa Rugby Team that made it to the Rippa Rugby World Cup Finals in Auckland last month. In a poignant moment Cueto offered his congratulations to the Arrowtown players. The gesture was acknowledged with a sea of appreciative smiles amongst the youngsters.

Also appreciated was a signed England jersey gifted to the school and signed by the entire England side. The players then took part in a light hearted question and answer session before signing balls, jerseys, t-shirts and flags. The English team depart Queenstown tomorrow.