Apparently the scene has caused offense in parts of the gay community.

I happened to be working at the airline at the time the video was released. We saw a sneak preview during a meeting with the agency responsible for coming up with it.

The feeling at the time was that the naked grandma streak would be the part to turn heads, my first question was ‘why didn’t they have Kahui actually kiss the guy? – that would have been funny …’

Background

Air New Zealand’s brand has been through an overhaul over the past 5+ years. Their CEO Rob Fyfe has a young persona and is credited with having turned the airline around during tough times. He was voted CEO of the Year for 2010.

Previous safety video campaigns have involved body paint – and some of these included Fyfe.

Air New Zealand have a YouTube Channel showcasing their videos.

So there is a pattern of edgy, somewhat risque depictions. But never distasteful – at least not in my opinion.

Many advertising agencies would like nothing more than to generate shock value from their work.

Remember the 42 Below vs California gay community saga?

I don’t think that was what was happening here.

No doubt someone at the agency had the same sentiment as me and suggested Kahui go ahead with the kiss. But clearly someone (maybe Kahui himself, the All Black Management or the Players Association) thought better of it.

That said, another part of Air New Zealand is trying to generate shock value from a promotional campaign. Grabaseat often depicts Maori phrases and personalities in ways that could be seen to be lacking in creativity.

Northern Exposure

3 weeks ago on the Northern Exposure program on New Zealand’s Rugby Channel, Richard Kahui was the guest of match commentator Scotty ‘Sumo’ Stevenson.

The show reviews happenings in the Northern Hemisphere where a lot of international players make their living, including many New Zealanders. These are the most lucrative leagues around, the rugby is high quality, the crowds are large and the sponsors are prominent.

Man-Love

Sumo Stevenson has been known to give man-love during his commentaries. References to player’s looks, haircuts and facial hair are mixed in with those directed at their playing abilities.

I remember he expressed particular sentiment for Horowhenua-Kapiti playmaker, Warwick Lamert during the 2009 National Sevens Tournament in Queenstown.

During this particular show there was a lot of banter that involved discussions about one or other player’s looks and haircuts. The men were enjoying some of the finer aspects of the game in a light atmosphere.

Monty Python Exit

Comedy troupe Monty opened their ‘Live at the Hollywood Bowl’ show with a short song entitled ‘Sit on my Face’. At the conclusion, the performers walk off, revealing that they have no pants on underneath the long aprons that they are wearing.

At the conclusion this episode of Northern Exposure, as the credits were rolling, Kahui gets up to leave his chair. As he turns to walk off, he clearly isn’t wearing any pants.

It wasn’t audible, but I just knew that Sumo was nearly falling off his chair with laughter – as was I.

Whopper in speedos

It may have been Sumo’s idea.

He had had a similar idea for Southland captain Jamie McIntosh when he was requested for a radio interview following the southerner’s historic win over Waikato this season.

I was under the stands at the time when ‘Whopper’ came out. He was wearing a hoodie and his underwear – nothing particularly unusual outside a dressing room after a game of code.

‘No offense’

This offense at the safety video is a shame. Hopefully it is not felt by many because I believe it is not intended by anyone involved.

Many agencies would love the controversy and air-time that this matter has received but I don’t think it was intended.

The intention was to be edgy but not poor taste.

Where to now?

New Zealand rugby fans have had to suffer through a multitude of snide remarks from ex-All Black Murray Mexted during his match commentaries.

Rugby is a masculine pursuit but nobody said it had to be boring. We now have a more worldly landscape thanks to the likes of Stevenson and Kahui. Let’s hope it continues.

He was part of the world cup winning Under 20 side from 2009 that included the likes of Zac Guildford, Robbie Robinson and Aaron Cruden.

Now Treeby is established in the Wellington midfield and is following coach Jamie Joseph to the Highlanders for the 2011 Super 15 season.

And some of us think he looks like Mitchell Johnson.

Luke McAllister in his hi-tech, ultra tight shorts

Technology has played a huge part in sporting performance often giving small advantages to those who adopt early, before the competition catches up.

Just enough room for the thighs ...

In 2007 Adidas unveiled “the lightest, strongest and most performance enhancing jersey [they] ever made.”

It was 45% lighter with bonded seams for reduced irritation and was designed to accentuate and improve the natural movement of the body.

Body heat technology was used to identify the particular parts of the anatomy that required the most cooling.

It was extremely tight fitting which gave the players the added advantage of not being able to have their jersey grabbed by opponents. Clothing, footwear, underwear and even hair are all fair game in the heat of battle.

Now everyone is in on the act and we get to see our favourite rugby athletes all wearing skin-tight jerseys as if they were in a super hero outfit that had curves in all the right places.

It seems like Luke McAllister is trialling a similar technology for shorts. They have the same skin-tight look as the jerseys.

Few others have caught on yet and it appears that some are running the other way.

Rather than opt for the tight or the skimpy, Western Force number 10 David Hill appeared to have gotten his shorts from the forwards pile.

David Hill and his long shorts

This could be an over-correction on Hill’s part. The Kiwi may have been rebelling from the Australian preference for very short shorts.

Ever watched Aussie Rules (VFL)?

Poss
Originally uploaded by Roger the Sheep

What about Rugby League?

We captured this shot at the North Island Provincial Sevens tournament at Mount Maunganui the week earlier.

The abbreviated version of the game provides an opportunity for talented players from minor unions to strut their stuff.

Warwick Lahmert is one of the better play makers (and hardest workers) in the New Zealand Sevens scene.

It will be interesting to see whether players like Lahmert will gain the attention of the 10-team UK National Sevens Series set to start in the middle of this year.

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This is the reason why we embarked on this website in the first place – to find wonderful examples of the rugby species.

He is unknown to us but we are grateful to have stumbled upon him on Flikr and would love to meet in the flesh one day – we can only fantasize …

Silverback Gorilla mating facts

• The main social unit is an alpha male with a harem of females and their offspring
• He may hold his tenure (and thus priority of access to fertile females) for longer than a generation
• Females are motivated to emigrate from their group when they observe another male who appears to be a better protector than their current mate
• There is no preferential breeding season
• Gorillas live in overlapping home ranges, so contact with competitive adult males is inevitable

At 2m tall and 110kg, he also has a bit of bad boy about him although his transgressions are usually masked in a diplomatic repose reminiscent of Sean Fitpatrick’s best ‘butter wouldn’t melt’ look.

Victor Matfield - one of the best looking tight forwards in the game

Matfield is a graduate of the University of Pretoria where he stands alongside another Springbok great, Naas Botha.

Northland and Auckland Blues bad boy, Rene Ranger

Rene Ranger is a tough, quick and elusive. He has one of the most recognisable rats tails in New Zealand rugby.

It was Ranger’s rats tail that endeared him to hospitalised 11 year old, Reno Harrison.

Sporting a right arm-full of tattoos and one on his left calf, the Northland and Blues wing earned a bad boy image when charged with assault after an incident in a pub car park back in October 2009.

The Cook Islander is also a very talented player, often providing the attacking spark for the Auckland Blues in their last 2 Super 14 campaigns.

Ranger was part of the New Zealand Sevens squads of 2007 and 2008 and made the Junior All Blacks in 2009.

And we found the 23 year old, 1.82m, 97kg winger to be an approachable guy.

Tipped as an outside chance of making the All Blacks, many people are taking a close look at Ranger … including us!

[In our snap-poll, Ranger did choose 'wear a ballet tutu' over 'taking an eye gouge' but we'll let him off that one]

Rene Ranger talks to New Zealand Sevens team mates from 2007-08, Lote Raikubula and Tomasi Cama

We were keen to find out which players care the most about their hair.

Originally uploaded by Clare Courier Gallery David Wallace

Originally uploaded by Clare Courier Gallery

The Munster forwards have made the 10 finalists in the Limerick Leader’s quest to the find the sexiest man in the area.

The 2 face opposition from lawyers, businessmen, a hairdresser, a boxer and a judge.

Read the article.

Place your vote.