Dunedin's Floral Signature for Rugby World Cup 2011

This morning, Friday 2 September, a three-metre high floral rugby ball was installed in front of the Railway Station and will be the centrepiece for this garden during RWC 2011. The rugby ball has been over two years in development from the first seed of an idea inspired by the 100% Pure inflatable rugby ball.

Weighing in at five tonnes, the floral rugby ball has been constructed and planted locally. In recent weeks, the weather has affected its flowering so it has been installed as a green ball and will turn white as the chrysanthemums begin to flower.

This floral feature will become one of the Dunedin’s Rugby World Cup 2011 ‘signatures’. As the Dunedin Railway Station is the most photographed building in New Zealand, placing the ball in the garden in front of the Railway Station provides an image that will be utterly memorable and unique to RWC 2011, and one that can be transmitted and portrayed around the world by visitors and media.