THE reluctance of New Zealand crowds to get behind their team has always been a problem. So, knowing how vocal the incoming Lions fans would be, there was a orchestrated attempt to unite the country behind the All Blacks.
It started with a TV advert showing former All Black wing Glenn Osborne strumming a guitar and singing Tutira Mai (Stand Together) with Kiwis from all walks of life joining in. The song was composed by Wiremu Huata, an Army chaplain with the Maori Battalion in the Second World War.
Huata sang the song to lift the spirits of his fellow soldiers. However, Lions ...