Everyone is in on It

From Nelson to Dunedin, The Sydney Morning Herald’s Mark Chipperfield nominates the highlights of the Rugby World Cup — on and off field. “New Zealand may not be the birthplace of rugby union football but it sees itself as the game’s spiritual home,” Chipperfield writes. “Like the national fascination with the weather, rugby binds New Zealand — blurring the gap between North and South, Maori and Pakeha. It is a chance to show the best the country has to offer: snow-capped mountains, rolling vineyards, quirky country towns, a vibrant food culture and laid-back lifestyle. Every town and hamlet is involved – staging community events, from street fairs to gumboot throwing, or ‘adopting a second team’ (Marlborough residents are learning Russian and putting up street signs in the Cyrillic alphabet).”