The various plates, cups and sundry trophies world rugby players aspire to win above all others stood proudly on display at Dunedin's Oval yesterday.
New Zealand has its hands on all of them but one.
Tucked away at the left-hand end of the display, the William Webb Ellis Cup, the trophy of the Rugby World Cup, stood with its list of winners inscribed.
New Zealand's name was there at the top for its 1987 win, but has never again been inscribed into the silver base.
Whether the young players the promotion was intended to attract will see that situation change later this year is another matter, but New Zealand Rugby Union provincial union support manager Nick Gutzewitz yesterday said the union wanted to make the most of the "spike of interest" that Rugby World Cup year stimulated.
Mr Gutzewitz said most countries that hosted the world cup got a surge of registered players that year and coaches, referees and volunteers were also encouraged.
Registered players were up by 6% since 2002, he said.
The trophy tour, which includes rugby-themed activities for kids, will visit 26 provincial unions in 39 days, travelling to North Otago today, Queenstown tomorrow and Southland on Wednesday.
