As many of you know, I love sport and thankfully, so do many New Zealanders! It makes for a comfortable fit. The other day, I was listening to the radio station devoted to sport, Radio Sport. The comment was made that the current captains of some of New Zealand's major sports teams are among the finest selections in world sport. It seemed a bold and brash statement (as are many comments made on sport in NZ!), but as I reflected on it, I thought they're probably right. Realising that they're not names or faces that would necessarily be well known outside of these islands, let me introduce the four captains referred to and illustrate how they epitomise New Zealanders in many ways. I should add before people comment, I am aware that in choosing certain sports over others, I am being selective & should apologise that netball (and women) aren't mentioned. Netball is one of NZ's top sports and NZ has probably been the world leader in promoting the role of women in everyday society. I apologise for it being a male only group, as well as for not including sports such as basketball, hockey, athletics, rowing and others, all of which play a major part in Kiwi life.
First up is the Captain I've seen most of in the news of late - Ryan Nelsen.
I've been impressed with Ryan Nelsen of late. Whilst all those around him having been losing their heads and suggesting that NZ could go far, he's not been overly caught up in the excitement and has remained level-headed, whilst seemingly hopeful. He's likeable lad & I wish him and the All Whites well in the coming weeks. For me, the like of Ryan Nelsen presents one of the big challenges in developing gospel work here in NZ - how do we reach Kiwis with the gospel, when so many of them leave in their early twenties? How do we disciple the students we have contact with, when many will go overseas for a period after their time at University? These are questions we are wrestling with as we seek to develop a lasting ministry here.
Next up is perhaps one of the most revered positions in NZ society - the captain of the All Blacks, Richie McCaw.
Before we moved to NZ, I have to confess to not being a fan of Richie. Known for playing right to the limit of the law, he frustrated me and probably made me wish he was English. Being on the other side of the world, and supporting the All Blacks on most occasions, I have come to appreciate his sublime skill as one of the finest openside flankers in the history of rugby. McCaw is a typical Southern man, tough, strong and into his rugby. Like many of the rugged Otago men, he went to study at Lincoln University, our premier Agricultural Tertiary institution. From there, he started playing rugby for Canterbury region and the Crusaders Super Rugby team, which as much as it pains me to say (living in Wellington) are probably the premier rugby outfits in NZ.From there, his career has gone from strength to strength. Named Captain of the All Blacks aged 23, he was named World Player of the Year in 2006 and 2008, the first man to win it twice.
I met McCaw briefly in Christchurch just after we arrived and found him to be a amiable guy, who has carried the responsibility and prestige of the Captaincy well. In recent months, I've been impressed with how articulate he is with the media, and his refusal to blame others when things have gone wrong has impressed me. McCaw epitomises a group of students we would love to be reaching more than we currently are - homegrown sporting talent, who spend time at our Universities and who have leadership potential, which can make and shape New Zealand in years to come.
I'm not sure what you make of Rugby League. For many, it's an unknown sport, marginalised as a working-class game played in the periphery. In NZ, it is a sport mostly appreciated in certain regions, but one that has widespread coverage. Generally known as "League", as opposed to plain old "Rugby" (Union), its hotspot is South Auckland where many Maori and Pacific Islanders live, along with a few places such as Rotorua, a few areas just outside Wellington and Christchurch. However, the whole country enjoyed beating Australia on their turf in the 2008 RL World Cup - there's nothing like beating your trans-Tasman rivals in their back yard!
And yet, Marshall represents a significant proportion of Kiwis in a number of ways. For a start, Marshall was raised without his biological father - his mum, Lydia was just 15 and still at school when Benji was born. Like many Maori, the whanau (extended family) were important to him growing up. He says "I've got 10 or 11 fathers...which is not a bad thing." Like many Kiwis today, the lure of greener grass in Australia pulled him, and by the age of 16, Marshall had a scholarship playing for a local school in Queensland. From there, he was signed up to play for Sydney's Wests Tigers, whom he has played for since 2003.
Benji Marshall epitomises another group of people we would love to see reached with the gospel on the campuses of NZ. These are the people (Maori and Pakeha, which are non-Maori) whose life circumstances are far from ideal. They are the people most in danger of turning to crime, alcohol and/or drugs. They are among the sinners who Jesus came to call to repentance. Benji Marshall also reminds of one of the challenges of reaching Kiwis today with the gospel - so many are moving overseas. As already mentioned with Ryan Nelsen, significant numbers move overseas and in particular, the numbers moving to Australia are high. In 2007, it is thought that 24,000 Kiwis moved across to Australia. Again, we have the challenge of reaching this unusual diaspora.
In many ways, Vettori's success stems from what makes him difficult to write about - he's not particularly flash or forthright. There's little flair. Everything that Kevin Pietersen is, Vettori is not! I recently read Vettori's autobiography, which was helpful as a cure for insomnia, but little else. You know that when a player's choice of wearing glasses rather than contact lenses is a career highlight, you're not dealing with someone particularly outlandish!
Vettori has an Italian father and Kiwi mother, and I suppose represents the European flavours of NZ. I'm regularly asked how we cope as Brits in NZ, and in many ways, the answer is simple. In NZ, the highest number of immigrants come from the UK. It's a daily occurrence hearing accents from around the UK and seeing the influence of UK society on NZ. For me, NZ is vaguely familiar to the UK, where some things seem almost the same, and some are just a little different. Again, Vettori represents the challenge of reaching European Kiwis with the gospel. For Vettori, his home is here in NZ, but a significant proportion of his time is spent around the world. Again, a story not uncommon with Kiwis, who are known for their love of travel and their desire to see other parts of the world.
All four Captains are men who I admire for their different characteristics. All four demonstrate a love of sport which prevails in Kiwi culture. And, whilst I love sport and love all of these four sports, the challenge of reaching men and women like these with the Good News of Jesus and seeing their lives changed is why we are here.
