Six All Blacks rugby greats have signed up to help the Government promote the 2011 World Cup, cup ministers Murray McCully and Gerry Brownlee announced today.
Jonah Lomu, Sean Fitzpatrick, John Kirwan, David Kirk, Andy Haden and Andrew Mehrtens were announced as 2011 ambassadors, at a parliamentary function 500 days out from the tournament kickoff.
Kirk captained the only New Zealand team to win the Cup in 1987, with Kirwan and Fitzpatrick also in that side.
"In 500 days the biggest event New Zealand has ever hosted kicks off. An estimated 85,000 visitors will come here, and billions will be watching on television," Mr McCully told the function.
"Our challenge is to make the most of that attention: to showcase what we do well as a country; to build and strengthen business relationships, and to attract tourists.
"There are no better ambassadors for our country during the Rugby World Cup than All Blacks legends, and it is outstanding that these six are donating their time and considerable profile to support the Government's efforts to promote New Zealand."
A programme of events for the next 500 days was being developed, and would contain a major promotional effort with Kirk in Australia on the eve of the September Bledisloe Cup match, to coincide with the "one year to go" mark.
Mr Brownlee announced the New Zealand 2011 Business Club, an online data base, connecting visiting business people to kiwi business people.
World Cup tickets went on sale today, exceeding expectations with 30,000 selling in the first 30 minutes.
