Support for a good cause sees the fur flying

30 September, 2009

Media Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 The Beard is Back!

Support for a good cause sees the fur flying in the Air New Zealand Cup

If you think things are getting hairy in the Air New Zealand Cup it’s probably because a host of New Zealand’s top rugby players have brought out the face furniture in support of a new campaign called ‘Beards for Blood.’

Provincial stars up and down the country have agreed to let the whiskers grow until the end of the season to raise awareness for the New Zealand Blood Service and raise much-needed funds for the Leukaemia and Blood Foundation’s Shave for a Cure initiative.

The campaign was inspired by the giant ginger beard sported by North Harbour fullback Jack McPhee and has quickly spread throughout the country as one by one the nation’s premier provincial teams have jumped on board.

McPhee (whose North Harbour team already has an association with the NZ Blood Service) agreed with Sky Sport’s rugby presenter Scotty ‘Sumo’ Stevenson to shave his beard for charity at the end of the season and that provided the genesis to take the concept around the country.

“We can all save lives simply by donating blood,” says Jack. “Much of that blood is used to treat leukaemia and other blood cancers too, so this is a campaign that can help thousands of New Zealanders.”

“New donors are always needed says Paul Hayes Marketing Manager, New Zealand Blood Service. We are absolutely stoked that so many players are getting behind this important community event and we trust that many in the rugby community come forward and become regular donors”.

“We are committed to improving the quality of life for patients and their families living with leukaemia or related blood cancer or condition,” said Pru Etcheverry, the Leukaemia and Blood Foundation Executive Director. “This level of support from New Zealand’s top rugby teams is an incredible gift. It is due to the generous spirit of people like these players that we are able to continue our patient support services.”

With McPhee a definite starter, it was only a matter of time before plenty of others jumped at the chance to itch their way through the remainder of the Air New Zealand Cup season.

Impressively, both the Northland Taniwha and Manawatu Turbos decided that if they were going to participate, it would be as an entire team – including coaches and management – and that has led to plenty of manscaping and few complaints from the wives and girlfriends!

Selected players from North Harbour, Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago have also committed to the cause.

Scotty Stevenson says the support from around the teams has been sensational and it proves just how community-minded our top rugby players are!

“The gesture these guys are making is absolutely outstanding and it shows again just how passionate they are about doing right by their fans both on and off the field,” he says.

The Beards for Blood campaign will continue through until the last week of the Air New Zealand Cup regular season at which stage fans will be able to turn out to see the faces trimmed up and returned to normal.

Dates and venues for the big shave up will be confirmed in the coming week.

In the meantime fans can support their team by visiting www.shaveforacure.co.nz and clicking on the Beards for Blood link.

They can also see regular updates on all the progress during Sky Sport’s comprehensive rugby coverage. To find out how to donate blood fans can simply text “Blood” to 515.

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