• Howick and Pakuranga Times

DREAM MOMENT: Macleans College student Jayden Stead lives every footy player’s fantasy by happily lifting the Webb Ellis Cup at a school assembly last Tuesday. Times photo Bruce Nicholson.

AN ICONIC member of the rugby community, nicknamed Wiremu, was greeted with awe and applause during a visit to Macleans College last week.

The Webb Ellis Cup, memorably won by the All Blacks at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, was at the school as part of the New Zealand Rugby Union’s (NZRU) Great Rugby Road Trip.

Macleans College was one of six schools in Auckland and 100 nationwide to host rugby’s most coveted prize.

About 500 students were shown a video featuring All Black Sonny Bill Williams before the real star of the show – the cup – was introduced by Super 15 Blues player Francis Sai’ili.

Small Blacks TV presenter Nua Finau explained why Sai’ili and others have to wear gloves while handling Wiremu, the nickname given to the cup by its Kiwi holders. “Only world cup winners are allowed to touch the cup with their skin,” he told the captivated assembly.

NZRU chief executive Steve Tew says the road trip is to thank New Zealanders for the support during last September-October’s tournament.

“We’re hoping the tour rekindles the excitement of those magical six weeks and encourages people to keep backing rugby, whether it’s by playing, refereeing, coaching, volunteering, or getting along and enjoying a game.”

There was an added push to promote women’s rugby, with Finau making special mention of the sevens game featuring at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

A quiz contest wrapped up the cup visit, with two students and teacher Jonathan Finnerty winning opportunities to relive captain Richie McCaw’s career highlight and hold the cup aloft.