KEY POINTS:
Are the days of a fizzy drink and a pie at the rugby numbered?
Anchor has announced a sponsorship deal that will see milk replace fizzy drink at provincial rugby grounds.
The deal, which incorporates the G-nine, or non-Super 14 rugby unions, aims to promote healthy lifestyle changes by completely removing carbonated drinks from sale.
Alex "Grizz" Wyllie said any fizzy drink vendor sitting outside the gates would do a "roaring trade".
"I don't know whether you can start forcing this on people or not.
"To me if you're out on a hot Saturday afternoon, - if it ever gets that way - I don't know whether a drink of milk is what you'd be after," Mr Wyllie said.
But G-nine spokesman Warren Goddard said, like the education sector, the rugby unions felt it was time to set a good example to kids by offering positive options.
He said participating rugby stadiums would offer water and juice, along with regular, low fat and flavoured milk.
Mr Goddard said he was discussing a deal with a muesli bar company tomorrow.
"We've got to start somewhere and this is a fantastic opportunity," Mr Goddard said.
He said the nine unions were semi-professional and like any business they have to find commercial sponsorship.
"A large proportion of people who play rugby are secondary school age and down and there's a huge debate raging on carbonated beverages at the moment," Mr Goddard said.
He said the milk deal was a start and the Rugby Unions were acting responsibly to the families and parents of rugby players.
Mr Goddard said 100ml of Anchor Mega Milk provided 23 per cent of a child's recommended daily intake of calcium, but the same amount of standard soft drink provided less than one per cent.
- NZHERALD REPORTER, NEWSTALK ZB
