Rugby exhibition kicks off

A new exhibition celebrating Waikato Rugby kicks off at Waikato Museum this weekend.

“Red, Yellow, (All) Black: a local look at our national game”, will enable serious rugby enthusiasts and curious visitors to investigate the region’s rugby heritage and understand some of the complexities of the national game as it is played in Waikato. It also coincides with the 90th anniversary of the Waikato Rugby Union.

Among the exhibition are a one-man scrum machine, a ball from the 1959 British and Irish Lions tour, and an All Black blazer that once belonged to Ian Clarke.

Waikato Museum director Kate Vusoniwailala said: “The Waikato Museum is strongly committed towards sharing key narratives of place and the unique character and stories of our community. It’s a story about people, passion, commitment and community.”

Waikato Rugby Union CEO Graham Bowen said the union was delighted to be able to showcase its heritage and artefacts at the museum: “Our union has a proud and rich history, and we’re indebted to the museum staff who have put this exhibition together.

It’s a terrific appetiser to Rugby World Cup 2011, and even serious Rugby fans should learn something new about the game in our region when they visit Red, Yellow, (All) Black.”

The exhibition opens on Saturday, 23 July. Admission is free.