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Home / Lifestyle

Rugby World Cup's 1987 baby

By Lauren Priestley
NZ Herald·
19 Oct, 2011 04:30 PM3 mins to read

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Anneke Ryff will be at Eden Park on Sunday. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Anneke Ryff will be at Eden Park on Sunday. Photo / Paul Estcourt

She was born only hours after All Black captain David Kirk hoisted the Rugby World Cup aloft in 1987 - her dad was even ducking in and out of the maternity suite to keep up with the game.

Now rugby-mad Anneke Ryff will be at Eden Park on Sunday, hoping to see Richie McCaw repeat the gesture.

Arriving at 9.47pm on June 20, 1987 - a week late - Anneke, 24, is probably the oldest of the 1.5 million New Zealanders who were not born the last - and only - time the All Blacks won the tournament.

There's more to the omen - she is also dating Ryan Fox, son of Grant Fox, the All Blacks' first five-eighths in the 1987 tournament.

Fox scored 17 points in the 1987 final, won 29-9 by the All Blacks over France - who are once again the opponents on Sunday.

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Anneke's friends and family see the irony in the relationship, and the couple are going to Sunday's final with the legendary first-five.

"It'll be a really memorable night, hopefully. One to remember for the rest of my life. A once-in-a-lifetime experience."

A self-confessed rugby fanatic, Anneke is proud to have been born on such an important day.

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"I'm known amongst my friends as the rugby-head, so I guess I'm a bit of a fan. It's cool sharing the date but obviously it would have been better being able to see [the game]."

She has been to Eden Park for all the pool games, one quarter-final and the All Blacks' 20-6 semifinal win over the Wallabies.

Anneke and Ryan, now one of New Zealand's top amateur golfers, met at a party several years ago.

"It's funny, before we met, we heard a son of a famous All Black was at the same event," said Anneke.

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"My friends were thinking it would be quite funny if we met. But it's definitely not the reason we're together now."

Her mother, Robyn Ryff, said Anneke's date of birth must have had something to do with her rugby-surrounded life.

"I think it's fate. There's just all these weird connections to rugby," said Mrs Ryff. "She hung on until after we had won the cup - it was quite a memorable night.

"It was all elation when we won, and then we got a baby girl as well."

The 1987 World Cup final meant she spent some of her labour alone, Mrs Ryff said.

"My husband and my obstetrician were ducking out to watch the match. They left me to it a couple of times."

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Anneke's father, Mike, said he remembered watching part of the game in the hospital waiting rooms, something that had become a running joke in the family.

"I did duck out a couple of times. It was a very long labour ... I certainly saw the last part of the game."

Mr Ryff said Anneke had been rugby-mad almost since birth.

"Strangely she's been a rugby fanatic ever since, without a doubt. I think it was born into her."

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