Sydney launches Bledisloe Cup Festival

The second annual Bledisloe Cup Festival was launched at the Museum of Sydney on Friday to celebrate the countdown to the opening Bledisloe Cup Test at ANZ Stadium on Saturday 17th August.

Highlights of the 2013 Festival include The Magic of Bledisloe Rugby exhibition at the Museum of Sydney, a Samsung Snapshot photographic competition and The Bledisloe Cup Round at local games across NSW.

The inaugural festival in 2012 was labelled a first up success following a week of events boasting cultural, historical, corporate and sporting overtones.

This year's Festival features similar events with a more public appeal, whilst continuing with a similar theme, celebrating the Magic of Bledisloe.

Australian Rugby Union Chief Executive Bill Pulver said he was delighted to see the Bledisloe Cup Festival return for its second year, stating "the British & Irish Lions Tour demonstrated what international Rugby can and should be all about, exciting games and crowds of colourful fans enjoying the experience.

"I'm thrilled to be able to continue this trend with the Bledisloe Cup Festival offering plenty of opportunities to build up to this year's opening clash between the Qantas Wallabies and All Blacks.

"The Festival is the ultimate opportunity to celebrate the unique culture, history and passion surrounding the annual battle for the Bledisloe Cup.

"The match on Saturday 17th August at ANZ Stadium is your one and only chance to see the Bledisloe Cup on Australian soil this year, so I'd encourage everyone to secure their tickets and get behind the Qantas Wallabies as they look to win back the coveted Cup for the first time in over a decade."

Pulver was joined by NSW Minister for Tourism, Major Events and the Arts George Souris, Destination NSW Chief Executive Sandra Chipchase, former Wallaby Joe Roff and current Qantas Wallabies fullback Kurtley Beale for the launch.

NSW Minister for Tourism, Major Events and the Arts, George Souris, said the Bledisloe Cup Festival was a sporting highlight on the NSW Events Calendar and provided a wonderful opportunity for local and visiting fans to celebrate the best of Trans-Tasman rugby in NSW, Australia's number one destination for major sporting events.

Minister Souris stated "the NSW Government, through our tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, is proud to partner with Australian Rugby Union to host this year's Bledisloe Cup Festival.

"Recent NSW exclusive sporting events including British & Irish Lions matches in Newcastle and Sydney injected $100 million into the NSW economy, and the upcoming Bledisloe Cup match at ANZ Stadium will further add to this economic boon."

The first Bledisloe Cup Festival was held last year, born out of a 10-year agreement with the NSW Government, through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, to host one Bledisloe Cup Test in Sydney every year from 2012 through to 2021.

12th July 2013 - LIONS GIVE SYDNEY ITS BIGGEST WEEK SINCE THE OLYMPICS

20th August 2012 - INAUGURAL BLEDISLOE CUP FESTIVAL LABELLED A SUCCESS