Strictly kiwi music, not Tom Jones, for Lions games

There'll be no Tom Jones or Proclaimers to make the boyos from the valleys of Wales or the lads from the Scottish highlands feel at home at matches on the Lions rugby tour -- it's strictly New Zealand music only.

If you turn up to a Super 12 or NPC game in New Zealand you are as likely to hear Tom Jones' Delilah or the Proclaimers' 500 Miles blaring out of the sound system but for the Lions tour, the New Zealand Rugby Union has decreed it's all Exponents, Split Enz and other kiwi classics.

NZRU project manager for the Lions tour Nigel Cass told NZPA they had wanted all match-day entertainment to be New Zealand-focused.

"We want them to experience the great sound of New Zealand bands.

"When the All Blacks tour to Wales let's listen to Tom Jones there but here in New Zealand the sounds of Dave Dobbyn, and the full range of other kiwi artists on show, we hope, makes it special for the visiting teams as well."

NZRU was making some centralised decisions on entertainment but local unions also had a say to reflect the music from their regions.

"New Zealand music is being recognised out there across the world and we want to make sure this Lions tour is uniquely New Zealand."

Tourism New Zealand was also paying to advertise its 100 Per cent Pure NZ campaign at the grounds and was also involved with the music choice.

Meanwhile, the singing of the New Zealand anthem and the Lions' song has struck a bum note with at least one columnist.

Danny Stephens, writing on Planet-Rugby.com was unimpressed after being at the Maori and Lions match. "Singers come on to the pitch and bellow the songs at half-pace into microphones.

"These microphones then relay the tune through tannoy systems which sound as though they are constructed from Coke tins."

It sounded like a group of "walrus having their whiskers systematically plucked," Stephens wrote.

He said the Lions' song The Power of Four was not a bad song but unfortunately nobody actually knew the tune or the words.

As for God Defend New Zealand: "It is a glorious anthem when sung with a little tempo but the dreary dirge that we were presented with was only beneficial to the fans in that it allowed them all an extra few minutes to go and purchase some more beer."

- NZPA