Bay of Plenty rugby mascot Hori BOP is celebrating the start of the ITM Cup rugby season with another marathon pilgrimage.
The alter-ego of Tauranga resident Terry Leaming is hitch-hiking 1500km to Invercargill - complete with over-sized Ugg boots and sleep apnea machine - to catch Bay of Plenty's match against Southland on Friday.
Bay of Plenty rugby mascot Hori BOP is hitch-hiking to Invercargill this week to catch the match between the Stags and the Steamers. Photo: Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media Services.
The trip comes two years after a similar 'Hitching Hikoi' to Dunedin to support the Otago Rugby Union's financial woes, although this week also has special resonance for the Steamers' fan.
"A lot of people reckon the modern calendar started more than 2000 years ago but any true-blue Bay of Plenty supporter will tell you we're now in the year 10 - as in, 10 years since we won the Ranfurly Shield," Leaming explained.
Bay of Plenty beat Auckland to claim the famous Log 'o Wood for the first time on August 15, 2004, though they haven't held it since.
Leaming hopes his trip will help the team turn around their fortunes, after they were relegated from the ITM Cup Premiership last year. He's also keeping a nervous eye on the forecast, with a cold snap hitting the deep south this week.
"I haven't worn shoes for 20 years but I'm seriously considering ditching the jandals for the last leg of the trip.
'Luckily a mate of mine - who happens to be (Southland All Black) Leicester Rutledge's cousin - came through with some Ugg boots, so that should keep the toes from falling off in the snow."
Leaming is no stranger to cerebrally-starved stunts. On his Dunedin trip in 2012, he was hypothermic after an ill-advised dip in Otago Harbour, while he's swam across the Waikato River for the last three years to commemorate Stephen Donald's World Cup-winning kick.
Given the forecast, he'll probably give Foveaux Strait a miss on this particular escapade, preferring not to detract from the rugby.
"I want to wake New Zealanders up to the start of the world's greatest rugby competition. The ITM Cup is huge and it means so much to so many people - and I'm hoping at least some of them stop to pick me up in the next few days!"
Leaming will leave on Wednesday morning, hoping to arrive in Invercargill before kick-off at 7.35pm on Friday night.
4 comments
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Posted on 13-08-2014 09:07 | By Sambo Returns
but unfortunately with the state of B.O.P rugby, get used to trips to Ruatoria and Greymouth, such a sad decline for a province this size.
FYI
Posted on 15-08-2014 07:53 | By Capt_Kaveman
Car = 1,512 km, 20.6hrs - Cycle = 88hrs - Walking 290hrs - wonder were he is now
Bay proud
Posted on 16-08-2014 18:01 | By southmark
There's no relegation from Premiership or Championship down to next tier Lochore/Meads cup so no trips to Ruatoria. Coaching situation isn't ideal, but to have 3 Bay players, plus B Retallick in wider All Black set-up is the best ever for this province. Swings and roundabouts: a couple of seasons ago the Bay finished in top 4. Give some young guys like Hollinshead a chance, and we'll see consistent success again.
@southmark
Posted on 17-08-2014 11:11 | By Sambo Returns
it is a fine line indeed between balancing the books and having the "marquee" players to attract crowds for revenue, unfortunately you can not have it both ways, and the I.T.M cup is all about promoting young talent, but you still need the odd player who has clocked up a few "miles", unity and a B.O.P multi sports complex is required sited in Whakatane for all I care, but we will not pull crowds in a disjointed rugby region, every other province has one central stadium, but not this one,it is sad to see a proud province in the decline it is in, and maybe it is fortunate that falling further is not a possibility as you stated.
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