Moody report not promising as McCaw seeks protection

by Martin Moodie |
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Martin Moodie

Martin Moodie is the Founder & Chairman of The Moodie Report.

The biggest event in the industry calendar is just days away. No, not TFWA World Exhibition, but the Rugby World Cup, where judging by the amount of correspondence being received at Moodie HQ, the trade’s representation might be just about as big as the Cannes show.

There’s a healthy level of banter building up and I could just about open a stand-alone jewellery shop with all the offers of All Blacks’ ‘chokers’ that I’ve received.

From drinks and duty free industry veteran Anthony Budd came the picture below (sent to members of my team, rather than me – they duly did the rest and super-imposed my less than fine features).

This time it’s different of course. Repeat after me: “There will be no choke…”

The Cup is Coming Home and this time it’s staying and all of New Zealand hopes that after 20 years of misery, mishaps and Michalak, it will be staying there.

Injuries could be a big factor. Already English skipper Lewis Moody is out of the tournament opener with a knee injury, according to Manager Martin Johnstone.  The resultant headline (below) sent to me by Mars International Travel Retail Consultant Stuart Bull had obvious appeal.

To ensure a similar fate does not befall the All Blacks, in my blog called The Cup is Coming Home, I have reported on the New Zealand Government’s move to declare captain Richie McCaw (pictured below courtesy of Kiwi caricaturist Murray Webb) an endangered species.

The All Blacks skipper joins such vulnerable and exotic wildlife as the little spotted kiwi, the Hooker’s Sea Lion, the Hochstetter’s frog, the Shortjawed kokopu, the Hector’s dolphin and the Chatham Islands taiko on the list. Under the government order, it will become a criminal offence to “harm, kill or painfully ruck” the famous open-side flanker.

To ensure he is not mistaken for other, more common members of the All Black species – itself currently under the threat of extinction because of commercial farming from the Northern hemisphere – McCaw will wear bright purple pants during the World Cup.

Why the choice of colour? “Because, frankly, Richie tends to find himself quite often marooned on the wrong side of the ruck,” explained a government spokesman. “Now instead of thumping him or stamping on him, opposition will only be allowed to slap his butt and say ‘Tag’.”

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