Kiwis in London Take Time out for World Cup Rugby

MEDIA RELEASE
Kiwis in London Take Time out for World Cup Rugby

5 November 2003

Many Kiwis living and working in London are taking time off work to watch the World Cup games, according to a 1st Contact survey just out.

“83% of New Zealanders in the survey said they would take time off to watch the tournament and most of those would be able to work overtime to cover their hours,” said Melanie Fletcher, 1st Contact’s New Zealand Manager.

As Rugby World Cup fever hits London, 1st Contact, a leading UK-based recruitment and traveller services company, surveyed Australians and New Zealanders to find out their thoughts on the tournament.

Most Kiwis living and working in London think the All Blacks will win the 2003 Rugby World Cup, according to the survey.

“While 72% of the Kiwis surveyed are backing the All Blacks to win, just 3% thought the Australian team could hold onto the Cup and 23% thought England would win,” said Melanie Fletcher.

However, Kiwis living in London must be returning to their British roots as 26% said they would back England if the All Blacks got knocked out of the tournament, and only 1% would back the Wallabies. Of the 135 New Zealanders who responded to the survey, 83% said they supported John Mitchell as the All Blacks coach, and 89% are happy with the team line-up.

“The survey gives a different perspective on the World Cup to that we see here in New Zealand, and gives us an opportunity to see what Kiwis in London are thinking about it,” said Ms Fletcher.

When asked who they thought would score the most tries in the tournament, 49% of the survey respondents voted for the All Blacks, with 20% backing the British team and 20% backing the Wallabies as top try scorers. 53% of survey respondents said they’d watch most of the Rugby World Cup games at the pub, while 39% would watch from home, and 51% or survey respondents would be drinking beer as their preferred beverage.

Besides being a recruitment agency, 1st Contact helps young travellers (mainly Kiwis, Australians and South Africans) with obtaining mobile phones, taxation and orientation services when they arrive in London. The company also owns the Elusive Camel chain of pubs where many social events take place and World Cup Rugby games would be a highlight this month, Ms Fletcher said.

“The Elusive Camel pubs will be open for all the games, licensed and serving breakfast, so beers will be served even first thing in the morning which is quite a novelty for London!” said Ms Fletcher. For more info on which games are being screened at the Elusive Camel, visit http://www.elusivecamel.com/Index.php

ENDS

1st Contact

Assisting more than 750, 000 clients over the past 12 years, 1st Contact one of the biggest providers of recruitment and immigration services to New Zealanders, Australians and South Africans in the UK.

1st Contact focuses on providing recruitment (medical, teaching, social work and general ‘unskilled’ employment) and banking facilities, as well as tax consultation, financial management, visa/immigration issues, money, shipping and telecommunications services.

1st Contact was established in 1990 by New Zealander Mike Kaye and South African Reg Bamford; has offices in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa and employs more than 250 staff in its central London offices.

http://www.1stcontact.co.uk/nz

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