Say My Name - Highlanders Celebrate Cultural Diversity

MEDIA RELEASE – Wednesday 30^th May 2018

What’s in a name?  Investec Super Rugby clubs encourage fans to have a go.

New Zealand Rugby and the Investec Super Rugby clubs, the Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders are encouraging fans, supporters and each other to learn the correct way to say people’s names. With teams based in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Argentina and Japan and matches being played those five countries as well as Fiji and Singapore, and players hailing from a multitude of different backgrounds  – Investec Super Rugby is one of the most diverse sports competitions in the world.

All five New Zealand teams are playing in New Zealand this week, and the clubs are leading the charge to help people feel brave – and safe enough – to have a go at pronouncing some of the more difficult names – and some of the most commonly mispronounced names – among the New Zealand teams.

New Zealand Rugby Head of Professional Rugby Chris Lendrum said:  “This week we’re taking a small step in celebrating how varied and different our back stories might be.

“All five Super Rugby teams are made up of players from a broad and rich range of backgrounds not just in terms of ethnic and cultural background.  Each club has its own regional and fan community with distinct characteristics that set them apart from all other clubs.

“Players from each of the clubs have been sharing with us and their fans exactly how their names should be pronounced – and they’ve also shared some of the most common mistakes when people mispronounce. 

“Players, and many of their families have told us, that it’s okay to get it wrong, and they applaud people for making a real effort to get it right,” he said.

New Zealand Rugby and the super clubs will this week release a video featuring players explaining the correct way to say their names, including examples of some surprising corrections to name pronunciations. Teams will help fans get their tongues around their playing 23 this week, with various guides to help them get the names right.

Pulse Energy Highlanders CEO, Roger Clark, said this week’s focus on names, was a fun way to acknowledge that the Highlanders was made up of many different ethnic groups, backgrounds, and diverse views.

“What we all have in common is a real desire to represent the Highlanders jersey and community proudly.

“This small gesture, of trying to get names right, is a great way for us all to show that rugby embraces our many different cultures, and backgrounds, and we are demonstrating particularly to our players, their families and our fans, that we respect them.”

“While we might not always get it right, it’s an important gesture to have a go,” he said.

Teams will help fans get their tongues around their playing 23 this week, with various guides to help them get the names right.

Go to: Say My Name Video

2018 PULSE ENERGY HIGHLANDERS SQUAD PHONETIC PRONUNCIATION

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