IRFU insist Ireland squad not snubbing New Zealand hosts

IRFU chiefs yesterday rejected claims the national squad are snubbing events organised by their New Zealand hosts at the Rugby World Cup next month.

Every country competing in this year’s tournament have been approached to engage in various community activities with Declan Kidney’s men receiving a civic reception in Queenstown upon their arrival on Thursday.

Mayor Vanessa van Uden and Irish Consul General Rodney Walshe will be amongst those in attendance while approximately 200 children from Hawea Flat, Glenorchy, Garston, Makarora and Tarras Schools are also set to welcome the squad.

However, officials in Queenstown are understood to be upset that the Irish are not participating in a number of events which they have organised. After announcing the details of the civic reception, Queenstown Lakes District Council Rugby World Cup coordinator Jono Sutherland claimed: “We asked them to do a lot more than that. That’s all I’m going to comment on.”

But last night IRFU spokesperson Karl Richardson hit back and stressed that Brian O’Driscoll and company will undertake “a comprehensive community programme” during their time in New Zealand.

He explained: “It (the claims) is a little confusing insofar as we submitted our community engagement programme over four months ago to Rugby World Cup, who in turn liaised directly with each of the host cities and venues. While of course there was great interest and demand, and we have built in quite a comprehensive community programme, it was just not possible to meet all the requests.

“While we are in Queenstown, as well as a civic reception and Powhiri (traditional Maori welcome), we felt that in addition to this an open training and signing session would allow as many people as possible to meet the team rather then one or two selected schools and to a restricted audience.

“Our programme we felt was quite busy and one of the most extensive with 13 different visits to schools, fanzones and open training sessions across all of the six cities we will be in during the pool stages.”