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Wales prove smash hit off the field

Wales prove smash hit off the field

Wales stepped off the field from a tough training session and continued the charm offence which has earned them plaudits across the north island of New Zealand.

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More than 700 onlookers watched the team train at a local rugby club pitch in Waitomo in a farming area outside Hamilton where they are based.

New Zealanders who had travelled from surrounding areas to watch Wales praised the players and coaches for the time they spent signing autographs and chatting with fans.

Teacher Suzanne Downey, who brought her primary school children from Te Kuiti which is the hometown of rugby legend Sir Colin Meads, said: “My children have today had a once in a lifetime experience.

“Many of them won’t get to experience the Rugby World Cup at the grounds but today the Rugby World Cup has been brought to them by these Welsh players.

“The Wales team have been incredibly obliging and generous with their time posing for photographs and signing autographs.”

The Te Kuiti youngsters were joined by children from several local schools who turned out to meet the Welsh squad.
Another onlooker, Malcolm Burmster, said: ”This is a great turnout and the Welsh players have been great to the crowd.

“We have seen a really hard training session but the boys have still found time to chat to everyone here.”

After the session the team visited the local Waitomo cave system and sang Ar Lan Y Mor and Calon Lan to answer a Maori welcome.

The singing was filmed for New Zealand national television and reporters described the sound as impressive. Wales Head Coach Warren Gatland praised his team for mixing a gruelling preparation schedule with a campaign to win friends and raise the profile of Welsh rugby in New Zealand.

He said: ”The boys are working incredibly hard in training but they still recognise their responsibility as ambassadors for Wales.

“I am proud to say they are delivering on that responsibility and winning a lot of local support in the process.”
The Wales team have kept up a tough training and analysis schedule while making sure they attend meet and greet events in every town they have visited.

In Wellington and Hamilton their popularity led to huge local support for Wales at the games against South Africa and Samoa.

By training on a local rugby club ground in Waitomo the team proved they are willing to take their goodwill message outside the big cities as the small rural community only boasts a population of 1,000.

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