With this being the second rugby statue to pop up in Wellington (and at least the fifth nationwide) during the current RWC series you would be forgiven for thinking that a new statue gets unveiled everytime the All Blacks win a game! Not quite true though, statues are currently in the lead. Wellington's first rugby statue, created by Weta Workshops was initially destined for the waterfront but is now instead on a corner of Jack Ilott Green below the City to Sea Bridge.
Our newest statue, gifted to the New Zealand Rugby Union by the French Government was shipped to New Zealand from Marseilles. It was inaugurated by the French Ambassador, Francis Etienne on 1st October 2011. It depicts two rugby players in a small huddled mass against a wall of words, and is the work of Stephane Cipre, a sculptor working in Nice. It represents the spirit and values of rugby - the two players are seen to be fighting against racism, drugs, selfishness and cheating.
First installed (as per photo) near the then NZRU HQ at Centreport the statute was removed in June 2016, to be re-installed in Molesworth Street. Until that happens you may work out the final GZ by taking a visit to the Stadium concourse and checking out some facts and figures related to the Stadium at the published co-ordinates.
S41 16.ABC
E174 47.DEF
There are 3A,500 seats in the stadium. Night events are lit by B92 2,000 watt globes. There are C.9 kilometres of electric cabling.
D,700 tonnes of reinforcing steel and E,590 tonnes of structural steel were used in the construction of the stadium. F,800 tonnes of drainage gravel are being used in the turf area.
Checksum: A+B+C+D+E+F = 16
The cache is a fairly short walk away and is a nano, please bring your own pen.
The cache is near a busy road, please take care, especially if you have children with you.