Helping raise the profile of NZ’s gay and inclusive team

Rugby Royalty helping raise the profile of NZ’s gay and inclusive team

New Zealand’s only gay and inclusive men’s rugby team, the NZ Falcons RFC, are preparing for a sumptuous Gala Dinner being held Saturday 29 August 2015 at the Ellerslie Events Centre.

The Gala Dinner is one of the events the team are holding to raise funds needed to travel to America next year for the Bingham Cup, otherwise known as the World Cup of Gay Rugby.

Special guests, rugby royalty, Sir Graham Henry and Sir Peter Leitch will feature on the night and the evening will also include a performance by Anika Moa and will be compered by celebrity and politician Tamati Coffey.

Individual tickets for the dinner can be purchased on the team’s website: http://shop.nzfalcons.org.nz/ for $110. Table purchases are also available.

Last year the NZ Falcons participated in the Bingham Cup held in Sydney August 2014. They won second tier of the competition taking home the Bingham Bowl. The next Bingham event is being held in Nashville, Tennessee, USA in May 2016.

To get to the USA next year the team need to come up with a fair bit of cash. Being the kind of guys who do not shy away from a challenge, the team will be hosting a few events to raise the funds required.

For those who find a dance party more enticing than a Gala Dinner, tickets are also now on sale for the Purchas after-match… The Locker Room Dance Party is being held Saturday 5 September at Galatos on K Rd. Doors open at 10pm and tickets are $25 from the website.

Breaking down stereotypes, the NZ Falcons enable players who may have felt alienated from the sport due to their sexuality to come together to participate and enjoy rugby in an open and supportive environment, along with others who are just passionate about the game. Currently the team participates in the Auckland Presidents Grade.

It’s not just the Bingham Cup that the team are training hard for though. The gay and inclusive Trans-Tasman rugby tournament Purchas Cup is coming to New Zealand very soon, the first time the competition has taken place this side of the ditch.

Gay and inclusive rugby teams from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane will be travelling to Auckland to take part in the competition 4 – 6 September 2015. More than 140 players, 40 support staff, hundreds of supporters, ten service providers, seven rugby teams, and five sporting organisations will be participating in five events over three days, including the day long contest at Western Springs.

Captain Jeremy Brankin is looking forward to the challenge of the up-coming tournament,

“The Purchas Cup provides us with a good opportunity to prepare for the Bingham Cup in America next year. Both Purchas and Bingham are such great environments and fantastic opportunities particularly for some of our players who are new to the game. We get to connect with a diverse range of people from across the globe and share our love for rugby.”

They might not be the All Blacks, but the NZ Falcons still share a passion for the game and a real sense of community. That passion is supported by a few inclusive, dedicated, progressive, and passionate organisations: ASB, Love Your Condom, and GABA.

Always in need of more sponsorship, if anyone is interested in getting in touch with the team they are happy to be contacted.

ENDS

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