Scots turn attention to real deal after Bluff

THE Scotland rugby team were given an official and stunning Maori welcome to New Zealand yesterday in Bluff, the southernmost town in the country, before they take on Romania tonight in their opening Rugby World Cup match in Invercargill (kick-off 2am BST).

Just hours after the team had been named, the squad were whisked south to the Te Rau Aroha Marae, which was established in the late 1800s as a native hostel for the local maori who lived at the time on the islands off the coast of Southland, the region at the bottom of New Zealand’s South Island.

The Scotland squad were taken to the ‘meeting house’, which is sacred and private to members of the public. A big screen was set up outside to allow the crowds of rugby supporters to watch the proceedings, including the Whaikorero speeches and songs by the Tangata Whenua hosts.

Kelly Brown, the Scotland flanker, and prop Euan Murray, who are both good singers, responded with a stirring rendition of ‘Caledonia’ backed by their team-mates, and there was the traditional Hariru hand-shakes and Hongi nose-touching.

The official capping ceremony was then opened, and Bill Beaumont, the former England captain, popped up in his capacity as RWC director to make the presentations of the caps. Each player received a specially-commissioned cap and a gift from the city of Invercargill.