Lifting of ban at World Cup a pipe dream for Scotland

IN A country as rugby-intense as New Zealand, it is no surprise to see the lead item on the evening news focus on the All Blacks or the World Cup.

But a strengthening campaign to end the bagpipe ban in rugby stadiums has topped the country’s main TV programme.

After watching current All Blacks captain Richie McCaw playing the pipes – his family hails from Dumfriesshire and he took up the instrument some years ago – more than 16,000 people texted last night’s TVNZ news programme to vote on the issue, and 71 per cent said the ban on bagpipes, and other musical instruments, should be lifted.

The story has gripped the New Zealand public after Aboyne GP, piper and Scotland rugby supporter Matt Strachan and his partner Kristin Pedroja drew attention to the RWC organisers’ decision to ban the taking of any musical instruments inside stadiums, in response to the noise of the vuvuzelas at last year’s Fifa World Cup.

Mr Strachan and Ms Pedroja launched a Facebook campaign entitled “Campaign to allow responsible bagpiping in all RWC stadiums in New Zealand”.

At the time of writing, it had more than 1,000 supporters, including Scotland scrum-half Chris Cusiter and coaching staff, people as far afield as Argentina and India, South Africa and North Korea, and led Shona Robison, the Scottish sports minister, to write to RWC chief executive Martin Snedden.

Speaking on the TV news last night, former Scotland centre Scott Hastings said: “It’s a big inspiration for the Scottish players and I think Martin Snedden should relax this particular ban. The vuvuzelas were part of the entertainment at the football World Cup and I think the whole of New Zealand should get behind Scotland on this.

“They [pipes] are just an inspiration. They are stirring. It’s part of our culture and history and I think New Zealand should think seriously about this.”

The City of Wellington Pipe Band played to more than 700 people at Scotland’s public training session at Lower Hutt on Sunday, and the kilt-wearing Hutt City mayor, William “Ray” Wallace, who was born in Kirkcaldy, said: “The sound of the bagpipes on the battlefield and now the sports field puts the fear of God into the opposition ”

He was backed by his fellow mayor in Invercargill, Tim Shadbolt, who said the Scotland team’s presence had witnessed a revival of the city’s proud Scottish heritage. “It is not some gimmick, but a serious part of Scotland’s culture,” he said.

Mr Snedden confirmed that the decision was now being reviewed ahead of Scotland’s crucial third Pool B match against Argentina in Wellington on Sunday, which could see the pipes allowed inside the famous “Cake Tin” venue as well as at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday week when Scotland face England in their final pool match. “Maybe there’s room for softening on this,” he said.