News

Shield winners roar through Wellington

September 23 2008

Thousands of Wellingtonians turned out to welcome their Ranfurly Shield-winning team - and to get a chance to touch the elusive Log o' Wood in the New Zealand capital on Tuesday.

Lions fans clustered the streets and hung out office windows and waved inflatable lion paws as they cheered on their local team.

Captain Piri Weepu and Chris Masoe held the shield on the front float while other players followed on the second float.

They dangled the Shield out the side of the float to allow fans to touch the Log o' Wood, which Wellington has not held since 1982.

As well as current Lions, the parade also included previous Wellington players.

Thousands of people filled Civic Square - the city's centre point - to greet the players, who were announced and welcomed onto the stage one at a time.

Huge cheers rang for try-scorer Hosea Gear and lock Ross Filipo, but the biggest cheer was reserved for captain Piri Weepu, who carried with him the gleaming Ranfurly Shield.

"A lot more than what I expected. Everyone's sort of showed up so it's pretty exciting times," said Weepu.

While the sun did not shine, the shield did, despite being covered in fingerprints.

"Everyone back there wants to hold onto it and show off so I've had my turn," added Weepu.

For some in the capital's crowd, this was their first glimpse of the Ranfurly Shield. For others it was a sweet homecoming.

The players were thinking that no one would turn up because of the weather.

"We were like the weather's not that great, is anyone going to turn up? But as soon as we got down by the Cenotaph there was an awesome crowd. Just amazing," said Lions pivot Michael Hobbs.

Deputy Mayor Ian McKinnon hailed the team and their heroics and the players lingered for about an hour, signing autographs and posing in photographs with their fans.