Destination Dublin - New Zealand

Rugby legend Grant Fox's behind-the scenes account of chaperoning the Webb Ellis Cup from the All Blacks in Auckland to the IRB in Dublin.

What a turn out today at Eden Park! And what a great first day of my journey with DHL as we deliver the Webb Ellis Cup from New Zealand back to IRB headquarters in Ireland. We started with fans at Eden Park and ended with a once-in-a-lifetime ride in the cockpit of a DHL cargo plane from Auckland to Sydney - brilliant!

It's been some 27 years since I held the “Wiremu” in my hands - forgot how heavy he is! And it was a real treat to receive the Webb Ellis Cup back at the very place that the All Blacks brought it home to New Zealand almost exactly two years ago to the day - and where I raised it with my teammates in 1987!

Wiremu is Maori for William and that's what the Kiwis dubbed the Cup when we won it in 2011.

By the way: Wiremu is Maori for William and that's what the Kiwis dubbed the Cup when we won it in 2011. Not a lot of people know that. The Aussies nicknamed him “Bill” after their RWC win in 1991.

After signing balls, talking rugby and taking lots of pictures at Eden Park, our next stop was the DHL depot out at the Auckland Airport to hop on "the Jedi" - the DHL cargo plane that flies the Auckland-Sydney route. According the DHL crew, the plane got that nickname because it flies over to Sydney and then "returns" to Auckland - so they say it’s the "the return of the Jedi."

Now years ago I had the chance to ride in the cockpit of a big passenger jet when plane security was a bit more lax. A ride in a DHL cargo plane is a whole different experience. For starters, it’s not necessarily comfortable. We sat in fold-down jump seats right behind the pilots. Wiremu was strapped into his own seat, too! And when the captain turned off the seat belt sign, he didn’t hesitate to get up and move about the cabin and snap some shots at 36,000 feet. I’d say that was probably a first for him. The pilots got a kick out of such a prized piece of silverware in there plane, although we found out that exotic deliveries are not necessarily rare. The Jedi regularly transports horses between Sydney and Auckland and recently has been transporting zoo animalson occasion.

After an uneventful flight and a perfect landing, we were met out on the tarmac in Sydney by former Wallabie and World Cup winner George Gregan. A real Aussie legend, George is the most capped player in Australian history. He’ll act as the Cup Ambassador while we’re here in Australia and as far as I'm concerned he's the perfect man for the job.

Now it’s time to get a good night sleep because this whirlwind, whistle-stop tour with DHL is going to be frantic. After a coaching school with some young rugby players tomorrow in Sydney it’s off to Johannesburg and then Cape Town with my expensive hand luggage.

Stay tuned, there's more to come.

Grant Fox