East Auckland’s Howick Hornets rugby league club has been awarded a $1500 grant for winning a Rugby League World Cup ticket sales promotion.
The club’s members showed they are strongly behind the event by purchasing the highest number of tickets of any club in the country.
Andrea Nelson, RLWC2017 General Manager of New Zealand, said: “We’re thrilled to be able to provide a $1500 grant to the Hornets. It is really well deserved and we are sure the club will put the money to good use so there is a tangible benefit for players and supporters into the future.
“The support of the rugby league community is important to the success of the tournament so we are appreciative to Howick and other clubs around the country where large numbers of players and supporters have purchased tickets.”
Howick Hornets Chairman John ‘Bull’ Hancock was thankful for the grant and congratulated organisers on a great initiative to get rugby league clubs involved in the tournament.
“I would also like to make a special mention of Darnelle Penu from our club. It was Darnelle who organised the payments and it is people like her that make rugby league clubs tick around the country,” Hancock said.
A second $1500 grant was awarded to Marist Saints, who won the draw of the remaining clubs in New Zealand that purchased over 50 tickets.
Marist Saints Chairman Tony Laiman said: “We’re delighted to receive the $1500, it will be a real boost to the club so I would like to thank the organisers.”
The RLWC2017 is the pinnacle of the international game and will be played across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea from 27 October to 2 December this year.
It will be the biggest sporting event in the region during 2017. The world’s best players from 14 teams will play 28 games over five weeks in 13 cities across the three hosting countries.
