2008 Rugby League World Cup Matches - Opening Ceremony

Opening Ceremony

On Sunday night, 26 October, the Sydney Football Stadium hosted the Opening Ceremony of the World Cup. It started with Greg Inglis reciting a speech about "Playing Fair". Following Inglis' speech there was an Aboriginal Smoking ceremony to welcome all the athletes and participants. This included a rather large sized Rainbow Serpent which represented the Aboriginal Dreamtime. The last part of the ceremony involved a performance of the Rugby League World Cup anthem "Hero" by Natalie Bassingthwaighte. A curtain raiser to the Australia vs. New Zealand match included an Indigenous Australian squad playing against New Zealand Māori which featured several prominent NRL players and rising stars, including Chris Sandow, Wairangi Koopu, Preston Campbell, Sam Thaiday, Shaun Kenny-Dowall and Carl Webb.

Welcome to the Country Match

As part of the official opening of the World Cup on 26 October, an exhibition game was played between an Aboriginal selection and a New Zealand Māori side.

26 October 2008 Indigenous Dreamtime 34–26 New Zealand Māori Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
Attendance: 34,157
Referee/s: Tony Archer
Try: Wesser (2)
Jensen (2)
Carney
Gordon
Goal: Soward (5)
(report) Try: McKendry
Kenny-Dowall
Stanley
Rapana
Taumata
Goal: Goodwin (2)
Stanley

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