Tuesday, 11 August 2015, 8:11 pm
Press Release: NZ Falcons RFC

Rugby Royalty helping raise the profile of NZ’s gay and inclusive team
New Zealand’s only gay and inclusive men’s rugby team, the NZ Falcons RFC, are preparing for a sumptuous Gala Dinner being held Saturday 29 August 2015 at the Ellerslie Events Centre.
The Gala Dinner is one of the events the team are holding to raise funds needed to travel to America next year for the Bingham Cup, otherwise known as the World Cup of Gay Rugby.
Special guests, rugby royalty, Sir Graham Henry and Sir Peter Leitch will feature on the night and the evening will also include a performance by Anika Moa and will be compered by celebrity and politician Tamati Coffey.
Individual tickets for the dinner can be purchased on the team’s website: http://shop.nzfalcons.org.nz/for $110. Table purchases are also available.
Last year the NZ Falcons participated in the Bingham Cup held in Sydney August 2014. They won second tier of the competition taking home the Bingham Bowl. The next Bingham event is being held in Nashville, Tennessee, USA in May 2016.
To get to the USA next year the team need to come up with a fair bit of cash. Being the kind of guys who do not shy away from a challenge, the team will be hosting a few events to raise the funds required.
For those who find a dance party more enticing than a Gala Dinner, tickets are also now on sale for the Purchas after-match… The Locker Room Dance Party is being held Saturday 5 September at Galatos on K Rd. Doors open at 10pm and tickets are $25 from the website.

Breaking down stereotypes, the NZ Falcons enable players who may have felt alienated from the sport due to their sexuality to come together to participate and enjoy rugby in an open and supportive environment, along with others who are just passionate about the game. Currently the team participates in the Auckland Presidents Grade.

It’s not just the Bingham Cup that the team are training hard for though. The gay and inclusive Trans-Tasman rugby tournament Purchas Cup is coming to New Zealand very soon, the first time the competition has taken place this side of the ditch.
Gay and inclusive rugby teams from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane will be travelling to Auckland to take part in the competition 4 – 6 September 2015. More than 140 players, 40 support staff, hundreds of supporters, ten service providers, seven rugby teams, and five sporting organisations will be participating in five events over three days, including the day long contest at Western Springs.
Captain Jeremy Brankin is looking forward to the challenge of the up-coming tournament,
“The Purchas Cup provides us with a good opportunity to prepare for the Bingham Cup in America next year. Both Purchas and Bingham are such great environments and fantastic opportunities particularly for some of our players who are new to the game. We get to connect with a diverse range of people from across the globe and share our love for rugby.”
They might not be the All Blacks, but the NZ Falcons still share a passion for the game and a real sense of community. That passion is supported by a few inclusive, dedicated, progressive, and passionate organisations: ASB, Love Your Condom, and GABA.
Always in need of more sponsorship, if anyone is interested in getting in touch with the team they are happy to be contacted.

The Beautiful Game –

Gay rugby world cup to be held in Tennessee

The next Bingham Cup – known as the gay rugby world cup – will be held in Tennessee.
The cup – named after rugby star Mark Bingham, who died onboard a plane during the 9/11 attacks – is an inclusive gay rugby tournament, often known as the gay rugby world cup, held every two years.
This year’s event was held in Sydney, Australia – and won by home team the Sydney Convicts.
However, the event is heading somewhere not many people would have expected in 2016 – Nashville, Tennessee.

The Bingham Cup will be held in Tennessee

The Bingham Cup in Tenessee

The International Gay Rugby association announced last week that the Cup would be hosted in the southern state, which is not known for its progressive attitude to gay rights.
Tennessee does not currently recognise same-sex relationships in any way, bans gender recognition for transgender people, has no state-wide discrimination protection, and only limited hate crime laws.
The Nashville Grizzlies beat out the Chicago Dragons for the right to host the competition.
IGR chairman Jeff Wilson said: “On behalf of the IGR board and trustees, I would like to thank both clubs for their dedication and level of professionalism demonstrated in the bids and during the bidding process.
“Following in the footsteps of Bingham Cup 2014 in Sydney, both bidding organizations realized that the bar had been set even higher for the next tournament.
“Both Chicago and Nashville responded with comprehensive plans that not only provided for excellent rugby, but an opportunity to raise the visibility of our sport and our mission to another level.
“We look forward to joining with all of our rugby brethren in a city synonymous with hospitality in May 2016.”
24 teams from 15 countries around the world competed in this year’s tournament, with thousands of spectators, including US Ambassador John Berry.

Helping raise the profile of NZ’s gay and inclusive team

The Beautiful Game – Gay rugby world cup to be held in Tennessee

Gay rugby world cup to be held in Tennessee