Du sang black!

[matbey]

L'ADN des All Blacks

WELLINGTON, Nouvelle Zélande (AP) -- C'est un souvenir peu commun dont l'idée revient à la Fédération néo-zélandaise de rugby: un poster du XV de Nouvelle-Zélande avec un échantillon de l'ADN de chacun des All Blacks.

Commercialisé en édition limitée par le fabricant d'équipements de sport Adidas, le poster montre les All Blacks chantant le traditionnel "haka" maori. Surtout, il contient de l'ADN provenant d'échantillons de sang stérilisé fournis par les joueurs.

"Chaque All Black a donné un peu de son sang", a expliqué le directeur marketing d'Adidas-Nouvelle Zélande, Craig Waugh. "Cette année, nous voulions faire quelque chose de différent pour refléter la profondeur du lien qui unit les All Blacks à leurs fans."

A en croire Waugh, le sponsor officiel de l'équipe nationale entendait rappeler qu'"encourager les All Blacks est dans notre sang." Mieux, a-t-il ajouté, "le rugby constitue une part essentielle de l'ADN néo-zélandais". AP

[Maxence]

et si les black perdent en cdm, suicide collectif des fans??????? (copyright le petit basque)

[nikos]

In a New Zealand first, All Blacks fans can now get even closer to their team - with DNA from the players included in a limited edition of this year's unique All Blacks poster.

adidas New Zealand and the New Zealand Rugby Union today launched the limited-edition 'Bonded by Blood' poster of the All Blacks, which shows the team performing the haka in a stunning Fiordland National Park setting.

adidas New Zealand marketing manager, Craig Waugh, said that a special bond used in the poster printing process contains DNA from each player in the All Blacks squad.

"Each All Black gave a small amount of blood which was then sterilised and used to create the limited-edition run of 'Bonded by Blood' posters," Waugh said.

Waugh said adidas New Zealand had produced a poster for fans every year since 1999 and this year's poster continued that legacy. The limited-edition poster will be available from adidas stockists only to those fans who buy an All Blacks jersey. A general-release poster will also be available from adidas stockists.

"This year we wanted to do something different to reflect the depth of support All Blacks fans give to their team - hence the limited release of the 'Bonded by Blood' poster," Waugh said.

"adidas believes rugby is an essential part of New Zealand's DNA and we wanted to show how the players and their supporters are inextricably linked - how supporting the All Blacks is in our blood," Waugh added.

All Blacks Captain Richie McCaw said the limited-edition poster was unique.

"It's a new thing. It's something that's pretty cool. The All Blacks team is all about combining everyone together and blood is one way to do it," he said.

NZRU sponsorship and marketing manager Fraser Holland said the limited-edition 'Bonded by Blood' poster was one small way that the All Blacks could reward loyal fans.

"Interest in rugby and All Blacks support is at an all-time high," he said.

"adidas and the team were able to find a truly unique way of acknowledging those fans who proudly wear the replica All Blacks jersey and stand in black behind the All Blacks," he added.

NZ Blood Service chief executive officer, Dr Graeme Benny, said the blood used in the 'Bonded by Blood' posters had been thoroughly sterilised and each poster was completely hygienic.

"Blood-borne viruses are very heat sensitive and are killed by heating at 60 degrees celsius. Diagnostic Medlab, the medical laboratory which treated the blood, used a heat treatment step called autoclaving which heated the blood at 121 degrees celsius for more than 15 minutes.

"This process effectively killed any potential viruses, as well as any other potentially infectious agents such as bacteria," said Dr Benny.

Edited June 25, 2006 by nikos