Fiery all-rounder Jacob Oram will lead New Zealand at the Karp Group Hong Kong Cricket Sixes 2011 and believes he has the ammunition to win the tournament for the first time for his country.

The New Zealand squad for the Hong Kong Cricket Sixes has been selected from the One Day International and T20 squads representing New Zealand on its tour of Zimbabwe starting 15 October 2011 in Harare.

The experience will stand the Black Caps in good stead in a challenging Pool at the Hong Kong Cricket Sixes and offers tournament organizers a wealth of options when selecting players to hit out against the Sixes All Stars in the first ever T20 match to be played at the Sixes on Friday afternoon, October 28.

Oram (pictured above), a powerful left-handed batsman and right-arm fast-medium bowler, will be at the helm of a team that also includes former test representatives and more-than useful all-rounders Nathan McCullum and James Franklin, who is currently playing in the IPL Champions League.

“We have put together a competitive squad and will go into the tournament with high hopes of winning,” said the six-foot six-inch Oram who plays for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League.

New Zealand have never won the Sixes, but the mix of experience and youth is a blend that will give the Kiwis a potency as they seek to lift the US$50,000 winner’s purse at the 12-team event from October 28-30 at the Kowloon Cricket Club (KCC).

Apart from right-arm off spinner McCullum and left-arm fast bowler Franklin, the rest of the squad comprises Rob Nicol, (New Zealand Cricket’s domestic player of the year last season), Luke Woodcock, Kieran Noema-Barnett and Derek de Boorder.

“A number of players have international experience but we also have a couple of young guys who will be representing their country for the first time,” Oram said.

One to watch out for will be Noema-Barnett, a destructive batsman who has had a splendid domestic season this year, while much is expected also of wicket-keeper batsman De Boorder.

“We have a very good line up all-rounders and I’m confident we have the squad to win the tournament,” Oram added.

Oram is eagerly anticipating his debut at the Hong Kong Sixes, saying “I love the format as its quick and entertaining and I look forward to experiencing the culture and all that Hong Kong has to offer.”

The Black Caps will face an early challenge when they come up against top seeds, the All Stars, who boast explosive batsmen like Sanath Jayasuriya, Shahid Afridi and Herschelle Gibbs in their lineup. The rest of the opposition in pool A includes Sri Lanka and debutants Scotland.

The defending champions, trans-Tasman rivals Australia, head pool B which comprises England, Bangladesh and a powerful Ireland outfit who will be led by Kevin O’Brien, the player who holds the record for the fastest World Cup century, off just 50 balls. Pool C includes last year’s runners-up Pakistan, South Africa, India and hosts Hong Kong.

For the latest from the HK Sixes, follow us on Twitter by adding @BlitzBokke

The moment all of us rugby-mad supporters have been waiting for are but days away.

The 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC) will kick off with, what the Kiwi-organisers have promised, much-fanfare on Friday 9 September.

The 6-week long tournament will start with a spectacular Opening Ceremony  at 7.30pm (NZT) on Friday, September 9.  The 4-hour time-difference means that HongKongers will be able to tune in at 3:30pm. 

The Opening Ceremony will be followed by the opening match between hosts New Zealand and Tonga (4:30pm HK time).

For those of you fellow-HongKongers who have missed today’s Sunday Morning Post, we have included the full RWC tournament schedule, complete with Hong Kong time, in this post (below).

France assistant coach Emile Ntamack receives a traditional Maori hongi during the official welcome ceremony for his squad at Orakei Marae in Auckland (Pic: Getty Images)

For breaking news on RWC 2011 as well as the HSBC Sevens World Series, add @BlitzBokke if you’re a Twitter user.

(Additional picture of the Maori Warrior by Getty Images)

Here are some images of previous Saffa Rugby get-togethers:

And who can forget that epic evening at Delaney’s Irish Bar in WanChai in 2007:

Simply click on the schedule below and PRINT according to your own computer configurations.

Following our speculation a week ago here on Howzit-HongKong, the Australian Rugby Union has confirmed that a Hong Kong Bledisloe Cup clash is a thing of the past.

The Bledisloe Cup will not be played in Asia in the short term after the revamp of the Australia-New Zealand series into a three Test match series over the next 10 years, the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) said on Thursday.

A trans-Tasman Bledisloe Cup has been staged in Hong Kong (2008, 2010) and Tokyo (2009) over the last three years.

Last year’s Test in Hong Kong was tarnished by a lower than expected turnout with just 26 000 paying to watch the action in the 40 000-capacity Hong Kong Stadium.

Now that a decision has been made between the New Zealand Rugby Union and ARU to stage an additional Test each year between the two countries there was no room for a Bledisloe Cup game in Asia, the ARU said.

“In the short term ARU will not be looking to host its additional Bledisloe Cup Test in venues outside of Australia,” an ARU spokesperson confirmed.

                                     The All Blacks show off the Bledisloe Cup at the HK Stadium (Pic: The Telegraph)

The third Bledisloe Cup Test each year will alternate between Australia and New Zealand and be played at the conclusion of the expanded Four Nations tournament also featuring South Africa and Argentina, getting under way next year, the ARU said.

(Source: AFP)

Bledisloe Cup 2010: HK Fans’ Day

I have been living in Hong Kong for four years now and, I have to admit, in that time I have personally met more Wallaby and All Blacks (current and legends) here than I have Springboks.

Because of annual Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens, as well as the SA Association Dinner (and the recent Invictus movie) I have had the privilege of meeting South African legends such as Naas Botha, Marius Hurter, Bob Skinstad, Kobus Wiese, Butch James, as well as SA commentator and former Junior-Bok Hugh Bladen.

Given one or two names that eludes me at 00:15 in the Hong Kong morning, I can probably count the Bok legends I have met here on two hands.

On the other hand I have met numerous Assie and Kiwis (current and ex-players) here in Hong Kong mainly because of the Bledisloe Cup games in 2008 and 2010 as well as promotional events in the run-up to the 2011 Rugby Wold Cup (RWC) in New Zealand later this year.

One of these legends, John (JK) Kirwan was in Hong Kong just last week when his team Japan played hosts Hong Kong in the Asian5Nations Tournament.

I had met the RWC Winner on another previous occasion in Hong Kong when he represented the New Zealand Tourism organisation in the the build-up to RWC 2011.

And what a speaker JK is!

I caught up with Kirwan at a HSBC/ARFU coaching clinic at the HK Football Club recently and asked him some questions:

The IRB’s Total Rugby today posted the following video of JK, recorded while he was here in Hong Kong:

I took some pictures while Kirwan was here in Hong Kong:

HSBC/ARFU Coaching Clinic

Japan vs. Hong Kong (Asian5Nations)

The New Zealand All Blacks has played Australia’s Wallabies in Hong Kong on two occasions as part of the Bledisloe Cup.  Sadly it seems that 2010 was the last year local fans of the two Antipodean rugby greats will have seen a Bledisloe match played in the SAR.

The All Blacks and Wallabies will contest the Bledisloe Cup over three Tests under a revamped format to take effect in 2012, the New Zealand and Australian rugby unions announced Saturday.

The new arrangement replaces the present system where the Cup, the symbol of trans-Tasman rugby supremacy, is contested as part of the Tri-Nations tournament which also involves South Africa.

From next year, the third and possibly deciding match will be hosted alternately between the two countries, following their home and away clashes in the Tri-Nations.

The first additional Bledisloe Cup Test will be hosted by Australia in October 2012 and there are no plans to take it to a neutral venue as has happened in recent years.

Hong Kong fans pose with some players and the Bledisloe Cup (Pic: Mike Jansen 2010)

New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew said the additional Test was part of a new All Blacks schedule which includes three Tests in June, the expanded Tri-Nations which takes in Argentina from 2012, and the end of year northern hemisphere tour.

“Our expectation, supported by feedback from our fans, is that a three-match Bledisloe Cup Series will be keenly followed and fits well into our season,” Tew said.

Fan research in both Australia and New Zealand supported the Bledisloe Cup being contested over a three-match series, rather than two as it was for many years prior to the expansion of the Tri Nations, Tew added.

Mike Jansen took the following pictures at last year’s Bledisloe Cup clash in Hong Kong:

(1) The Fan Day

(2) Match Day

(3) Bledisloe Cup: Hong Kong 2008

Proud sponsors of the Rugby World Cup since 2003, Heineken will be bringing the excitement of this year’s event to Hong Kong.  The 2011 Rugby World Cup takes place in New Zealand later this year.

The beer-makers couldn’t have chosen a better time to spread the RWC-cheer in Hong Kong.  Fans will be able to view and take pictures with the famous Webb Ellis trophy during Hong Kong’s so-called #Rugby Week when thousands of local and foreign rugby-fans converge on the city in the lead-up to the Hong Kong Sevens.

#Rugby Week events:

AirAsia HK Beach 5s (19-20 March),

GFI HKFC Tens (23-24 March),

Altus Kowloon RugbyFest (23 March),

Cable & Wireless Women’s Hong Kong Sevens (25 March),

Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens (25-27 March) &

SAAHK Sevens Dinner (23 March).

Various other rugby-relared events will also take place all over the city during Rugby Week.

The 5-days tour from March 23 – 27 will take the Cup to Bar George in Lan Kwai Fong, Pure Restaurant in Soho Central as well as leading restaurants across the Fashion Walk in Causeway Bay. 

Nelson Mandela hands the Webb Ellis trophy to Francois Pienaar in 1995

Previous winners of the Rugby World Cup were:

1987: New Zealand

1991: Australia

1995: South Africa

1999: Australia

2003: England

2007: South Africa

The All Blacks recently visited Hong Kong to play Australia in their final Bledisloe Cup event.  While they ended up losing the scintilating match at the Hong Kong stadium, their Hong Kong visit was a key opportunity to promote their country and particularly the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

If like me, you’re planning to attend the World Cup, you have another chance to learn more about that beautiful country (and try some of their delicious cheeses and wines!)

The New Zealand Society has invited South Africans to join them in a Cheese and Wine evening on Friday, 26th November at the NZ Focus Centre, 439-445 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay.

The New Zealand Focus Centre is a well-known landmark in Causeway Bay and is unfortunately closing down. This event is therefore the last opportunity to enjoy a range of NZ white and red wines, NZ beer and non-alcoholic drinks plus NZ cheeses and finger foods.

Tickets are HK$200. Please register and pay for the event by 20 November by contacting Travis Pittman at tjpittman@me.com. Please make your cheque payable to the “New Zealand Society of Hong Kong” and get the banking details from Travis. Please note that no “walk-ins” are allowed on the night of the event.

Find the New Zealand Society here

Pugnacious batsman Scott Styris will return from injury to lead a strong New Zealand squad in search of an elusive Cup victory at the Hong Kong Sixes next month.

Styris will spearhead a team that includes two other Black Caps – Darryl Tuffey and Nathan McCullum – in search of honours at the Karp Group/PC Jeweller Hong Kong Cricket Sixes at the Kowloon Cricket Club on November 6-7.

“We have a nice mix of experienced internationals as well as seasoned campaigners in our domestic competition plus a couple of up-and-coming youngsters,” said Styris.

A 29-test and 160 one-day international veteran, Styris has successfully recovered from a partial stress fracture to his lower back which ruled him out of New Zealand’s recent tour to Bangladesh.

Logan van Beek and Harry Boam, two players who featured in the New Zealand Under-19 World Cup squad last year will provide a dash of young talent.

Apart from Tuffey and McCullum, the rest of the squad comprises a pair of experienced domestic players Carl Frauenstein and Kieran Noema-Barnett, with Styris picking the latter as one to watch out for.

“We have a very good side and one which can beat anyone,” Styris said. “But I’m mindful of the fact that the other teams too have some top-quality players while Hong Kong has shown they can also be a threat. It will be tough, but we are coming there to win New Zealand its first Hong Kong Sixes title.”

A more than useful all-rounder – he has 3,743 ODI runs and 125 wickets – the 35-year-old Styris revealed his immediate goals were to play in the World Cup next year as well as get another contract with in the Indian Premier League. He played for the Deccan Charges in his first three-year contract which ended this season.

“But my first aim is to see that New Zealand win the Hong Kong Sixes. This is my first visit. I missed out on the last two occasions due to other commitments, and I’m really llloking forward to it as I heard it is a fun but serious event,” Styris added.

New Zealand is drawn in the preliminary Sobers Group with Indian, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The Bradman Group comprises England, Australia, defending champions South Africa and last year’s runners-up Hong Kong.

China will also make a debut appearance at the Hong Kong Sixes when the Asian Games-bound squad takes part in an exhibition match against a Hong Kong development team on the Sunday of the tournament.

 The New Zealand side is:

Scott Styris (c) – Northern Knights

Daryl Tuffey – Auckland Aces

Nathan McCullum – Otago Volts

Carl Frauenstein – Canterbury Wizards

Logan van Beek – Canterbury Wizards

Harry Boam – Wellington Firebirds

Kieran Noema-Barnett – Central Stags

Despite only arriving in the city this morning, the New Zealand All Blacks met their fans at the very first DHL Hong Kong 2010 Bledisloe Cup Fans Day.  Their Australian rivals who arrived yesterday also made time to pose for pictures and hand out autographs ahead of the third-ever Bledisloe Cup clash on neutral soil.

For both sides, the HK stopover will be match 1 of their respective end-of-year European Tours that come after an arduous domestic and international season of Super 14 and Tri-Nations tournaments.  Some of the players also played in the championship Sevens match of the Delhi Commonwealth Games only a few days ago, where New Zealand walked away with the Gold Medal and Australia won Silver.  

A busy week of practice sessions and media engagements await both teams for the rest of the week before they clash in the DHL Hong Kong 2010 Bledisloe Cup at the Hong Kong Stadium on Saturday.

Word is that some 25 000 tickets have been sold thus far and while it means the Stadium may only be half-full come Saturday, the respective teams have promised nothing less than a test-match quality game.

“There is no such thing as a dead rubber between the All Blacks and Wallabies,” New Zealand coach Graham Henry reiterated in a tele-conference last week.

Fans who want to attend the match can still book their tickets at HKTicketing.

Kick-off is at 4:30pm

Here are some of the images I took at So Kon Po earlier today:

Bledisloe Cup: unseen footage.

Depending how close you are to breakfast/lunch/dinner time, maybe that should read “not to be seen footage“!

Our pals over at RugbyAsia Channel takes us “behind the scenes at a Bledisloe Cup” game.

Before we show you, here’s a reminder:

Hong Kong will host one of world rugby’s great contests in October when the All Blacks and the Wallabies battle for the Bledisloe Cup at the Hong Kong Stadium.

The match will be played on Saturday, October 30, kicking off at 4.30pm local time.

Tickets are available through HKTicketing