28/12/2010

Gap Year New Zealand: Work & Travel

Take a gap year in New Zealand and work and travel! The 2011 New Zealand Rugby World Cup is fast approaching, with the first match being fought out just around the corner from BUNAC’s New Zealand HQ! Not only will the competition open up 1000s more hospitality jobs in New Zealand next summer, but it also promises to be an absolutely explosive tournament. New Zealanders live and breathe rugby, and as favourites to lift the trophy, the atmosphere in New Zealand is going to be incredible!

But what’s rugby all about? Well, if you like your sports fast and pulsating, with thumping tackles and maybe even the occasional scrap, then this is the sport for you - no pads, no helmets, just full-on brawn! So to help you get to grips with the basics, BUNAC have put together a quick lowdown on the lingo:

All Blacks: The New Zealand rugby team. Funnily enough, they wear black. They are favourites for the World Cup after winning the Tri-Nations in 2010 (competition between New Zealand, South Africa and Australia) and beating England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales in November.

Springboks: The South African rugby team. Key players include Bryan Habana. There was a 2009 film about their 1995 World Cup triumph called ‘Invictus’ starring Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman. Defending champions.

Wallabies: The name given to the Australian rugby team. Not real wallabies.

Scrum: After certain infractions occur, a scrum takes place. This is a bit like the Clash of the Titans. The Big Boys from either side lock together and drive against each other in order to gain possession of the ball. You can smell the testosterone.

Forwards: The big brutes in the scrums. Numbered 1 to 8, but otherwise distinguished by their missing front teeth and cauliflower ears.

Backs: The players numbered 9 to 15 who do not participate in scrums and look slightly less like ogres than the forwards.

Hooker: A player in the front row of the scrum whose job is to ‘hook’ the ball out with his feet. Nothing to do with the oldest profession in the world.

Sin bin: When a player breaks certain rules, he may be given a yellow card. This means he has to spend 10 minutes off the pitch in the ‘sin bin’ to think about what he’s done. A bit like the naughty step.

Forward pass: The ball is not allowed to be passed forward. When it is, it is known as a ‘forward pass’. Genius.

Haka: The traditional Maori dance involving shouting and tongue-waggling, performed by the New Zealand team in the face of their opposition at the start of each of their games. The teams from Fiji, Tonga and Samoa perform similar cultural dances.

Swing low, sweet chariot: Gospel song sung by English rugby fans at international games. Often thought of as one of the most annoying sounds in sport.

So there you go, that’s rugby (pretty much). Rugby fans are among the most passionate in the world and tens of thousands of BUNACers will be heading to New Zealand in 2011 for this fantastic sporting spectacle. So what better reason to fly half* way round the world? And with dates for BUNAC’s group flights now confirmed, you could spend 3 days in Hong Kong with other BUNACers before heading to New Zealand for the first kick-off!

Sounds exciting? Find out more about Work New Zealand.

*Fly half: Position of player wearing the number 10 shirt. Usually takes the kicks. New Zealand’s Dan Carter is generally considered the best of the bunch.

BUNAC

Gap Year Jobs in New Zealand