Inhale liniment as an All Black shares his feelings
A new multimillion-dollar All Blacks Experience in Auckland will allow participants to test their skill level and help them understand our deep passion for sport.
“How do All Blacks handle stress?” asks ex-All Black Ian Jones, taking the Herald on the first tour and revealing how life-size digital screens test physical ability and touch screens test mental dexterity.
The 2000sq m attraction is on level four, 88 Federal St, ex-SkyCity convention space. It was planned for seven years and took nearly two to build, starting last February.
The smell of liniment pervades “changing rooms” where digital images of All Blacks tell you about their lives and feelings.
Visitors “walk” the venue tunnel towards the roar of the crowd – which gets louder. Then it’s on to green turf and the stark white centre line to stare down the men in black, visitors playing the role of opponents.
A 4m tall screen puts visitors faceto-face with a larger-than-life test match haka.
Jones said the film shown was from a Hamilton match last year. TJ Perenara leads the Ka Mate haka and visitors face that team, then captained by Kieran Read, flanked by Aaron Smith.
All Blacks, Ma¯ori All Blacks, Sevens and Black Ferns are honoured in the project by New Zealand Rugby and Nga¯i Tahu Tourism in the venture where whakataukı¯ are prominent.
The project was led by an advisory group of double Rugby World Cupwinning ex-All Black captain Richie McCaw, Jones, Tana Umaga, Ian Kirkpatrick, Black Fern Sarah Hirini (nee Goss) and the Rugby Players Association.
The exhibition, opening tomorrow, offers 45-minute guided tours.