Fonterra: ‘Game on English’ celebrates 10 years

Japanese high school rugby players will get a tour of Fonterra’s manufacturing site in Waitoa as part of the Game on English programme. Photo / Elaine Fisher

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The Country Sport Breakfast catches up with the team at Fonterra. Today, host Brian Kelly is joined by Bryn Rowdon, General Manager of Corporate Planning, who normally works in the co-op’s Tokyo office but is dialling in from Hamilton today.

Fonterra’s Bryn Rowdon is in Hamilton as part of “Game on English” a programme sponsored by Fonterra, with support from the New Zealand Embassy in Japan.

Every year, Game on English brings talented Japanese high school rugby players to New Zealand for two weeks.

The Game on English programme has been developed to meet Japan’s “Sports for Tomorrow” initiative and promote international exchange and cooperation through sport.

Fonterra started sponsoring the programme in 2014 and is happy to be celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

“What have been the highlights over the last 10 years?” Kelly asked Rowdon.

“The highlight is definitely the unique cultural experience that the programme provides for the students,” Rowdon said.

“Many of the Game on English alumni have gone on to great success in their subsequent rugby careers with a number now playing in League One, Japan’s premier rugby competition.

“Our alumni cherish their experience and help champion the programme.

“One of our alumni, Takei Hinata the co-captain of the Ricoh Black Lambs, recently met with PM Luxon to promote the Game on English programme during the Prime Minister’s trade visit to Japan in June.

“We also sponsored an all-girls team to come to NZ last year for the first time in celebration of the Rugby World Cup”.

This year Fonterra welcomed 10 Japanese students from Toin Gakuin and Kokugakuin Tochigi high schools from the Kanto region, which includes Tokyo.

“This is their first trip out of Japan for all of them and they have been here since July 25th and are having a great time so far,” Rowdon said.

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During their visit, students stay with Kiwi families and have daily rugby training and English lessons.

They are hosted by Hamilton Boys’ High and its world-class rugby training programme.

Other than learning and training, the teams enjoyed a day trip to Rotorua, where they had a great experience ziplining in one of New Zealand’s native forests.

They also visited the FMG Stadium, home of the Waikato Chiefs’ training facilities, followed by playing a rugby match against one of the Hamilton High Schools teams.

Rowdon said they will also visit Fonterra’s manufacturing site in Waitoa, where they will learn about sustainability and enjoy making some cream that the site produces.