Ahoy, me Hearties! Pirates of Palmerston on South Stand raid

People come to the Sevens on planes, and usually via Cathay Pacific, but in the South Stand, in costume and 'in character', you can say whatever you please. Case in point: 'The Pirates of Palmerston', wannabe buccaneers from New Zealand.

'We rowed here in our canoes,' claim the Pirates, who must have traversed the Tasman in the canoe, too, as they now live in Melbourne. The trio were intent on proving that KIWI stands for 'Keen Individual With Intelligence'.

'We came here in a canoe, not a chariot, the wheels fell off our chariot,' says Tony 'the Loose' Wheal, who works in HR.

'Everyone is totally consumed by rugby where we come from,' revealed IT project manager Danno Giesh. 'Even my 73-year-old grandmother used to play and can still talk a good game.'

Addressing the subject of Kiwis who like to tell the players and coaches how to do it, 'the Loose Wheal' reported: 'Kiwi coach Gordon Tietjens does not need our counsel. How does he do it? He keeps one step ahead of the game of sevens, and never takes his eye off the ball. Back home, we think he's god. Not everyone believes in religion, but they all believe in Gordon Tietjens.'

While many were seeking sunblock, the trio's hopes are firmly set on the boys in black despite a close call with Portugal.