Washington, DC Special Guest: Matiu Walters of Six60, New Zealand’s highest selling live band of all time, to sing New Zealand National Anthem

WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 21, 2021) – When New Zealand’s All Blacks make their Washington, DC debut against the USA Eagles in the 1874 Cup presented by F45,  at FedExField on Saturday, Oct. 23, 3:30pm ET, fans will not only be treated to world-class play on the field but will also experience a day full of exciting activities and special attractions.

The Army Navy rivalry will be renewed as the two US service academies meet in a special curtain-raising match at 1:00pm ET. Patriotism will be on full display with supporters from both sides, highlighted by special pre-game performances by the United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps and the United States Naval Academy Pipes and Drums band.

Prior to the New Zealand-USA match, a pair of dynamic  national anthem performances have been lined up to add to the electric atmosphere. The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington will perform the US national anthem, while Matiu Walters, lead singer of the popular New Zealand band, Six60, will salute his fellow countrymen with a rendition of the Kiwi national anthem.  

Head over to Old Glory’s Party HQ located at the Bud Light Pavilion to mingle with fellow fans and meet celebrity players such USA Eagle llona Maher and South Africa’s “The Beast” Tendai Mtawaria of Old Glory DC.

Hungry fans will be treated to New Zealand meat pies from Alexandria, VA-based bakery, Kiwi Kuisine, available for sale at three food stands within FedExField. Featured items will include Kiwi Kuisine’s Steak and Stout and duBreton Pork and Green Chili pies. Prior to the match, the Kiwi Kuisine Pie Truck will be at the Bud Light Pavilion where rugby fans can sample six of the bakery’s innovative creations.

Match tickets remain on sale and are available at Ticketmaster.

INFORMATION

Event website: washingtonfootball.com/rugby

Ticketing website: ticketmaster.com
Destination DC:  washington.org/top-reasons-check-out-1874-cup-fedexfield

EVENT MEDIA CONTACT

Calder Cahill | ccahill@usa.rugby | +1 970.390.6492

USA TEAM MEDIA CONTACT

Aalina Tabani | atabani@usa.rugby | +1 702.468.4349

NEW ZEALAND TEAM MEDIA CONTACT

Joe Locke | joe.locke@nzrugby.co.nz  | +64 (0)27 441 8461 (WhatsApp)

LOCAL MEDIA CONTACTS

Steve Winter | swinter@aboutsage.com | 202-468-8100

Brian Bishop | bbishop@aboutsage.com | 202-468-8400

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Follow the 1874 Cup on social media for exclusive content and game day announcements!

Instagram: @1874_cup

Facebook: 1874 Cup

Twitter: @1874Cup

About the United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps

The United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps is the only unit of its kind in the armed forces, and is part of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard). The Fife and Drum Corps is stationed at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va. The musicians of this unit recall the days of the American Revolution as they perform in uniforms patterned after those worn by the musicians of General George Washington’s Continental Army. Military musicians of the period wore the reverse colors of the regiments to which they were assigned.

As an official representative of the U.S. Army, the Corps averages approximately 500 performances annually. The Corps has entertainment millions of people in major parades, pageants and historical celebrations throughout the United States; and has served America as a goodwill ambassador as far as Europe, Australia and Canada.

In support of the president, the Corps performs at all armed-forces arrival ceremonies for visiting dignitaries and heads of state at the White House, and has participated in every Presidential Inaugural Parade since President John F. Kennedy’s in 1961.

About the United States Naval Academy Pipes and Drums Band

Formed in 1996 through an endowment from the USNA Class of 1966 the USNA Pipes and Drums band is an active ensemble in the Musical Activities Department at the Academy and are the only active-duty pipe band in the Department of the Navy. 

About the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington
Led by Artistic Director Thea Kano, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC (GMCW) is now in its 41st season. GMCW sings to inspire equality and inclusion with musical performances and education promoting justice and dignity for all. GMCW has more than 300 singing members, three select ensembles, a dance company, a youth chorus, 50 support volunteers, more than 300 subscribers, 500 donors, and an annual audience of more than 10,000 people. The Chorus and its ensembles keep a very busy schedule with more than 100 outreach performances each season. Past outreach performances have included the HRC National Dinner, performing live on NBC-TV’s The Today Show, an historic LGBTQ music and outreach tour in Ukraine, a first-ever tour by an LGBTQ chorus to Cuba, and a special concert in Reykjavik, Iceland. GMCW has performed for President and First Lady Obama, eight consecutive years at Vice President and  Dr. Biden’s residence, twice at the Kennedy Center Honors, and as part of the inaugural celebrations for President Obama and President Clinton. Since 2001, the Chorus has maintained a robust youth outreach program, GenOUT, and in 2015, launched the GenOUT Youth Chorus, the first LGBTQ+ youth chorus in the DC metro area. Since its debut, more than 110 singers from 60 area schools have participated in GenOUT. GMCW is a member of Chorus America, the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA Choruses), and the Cultural Alliance of Washington.

ABOUT SIX60/ MATIU WALTERS

Matiu Walters is lead singer of Six60, a five-piece New Zealand band that formed in 2008. Their self-titled debut album was released on 10 October 2011 on their own label Massive Entertainment. The album was produced and mixed by Tiki Taane and debuted at number one in the New Zealand charts and was certified gold within its first week of release.^[2] Their first two singles “Rise Up 2.0” and “Don’t Forget Your Roots” reached number one and number two respectively on the RIANZ singles chart and were both certified double and triple platinum.^[3] In 2018 the band won five Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards and were the most streamed artist by New Zealanders on Spotify.^[4] On 23 February 2019, Six60 became the first New Zealand band to play a sold-out concert at the Western Springs Stadium, to a crowd of 50,000 fans.^[5] On 24 April 2021, Six60 played the first concert at Auckland’s Eden Park Stadium, to a crowd of 50,000 fans. It was the closing of the Six60 Saturdays country-wide tour.^[6]

About Old Glory DC

Old Glory DC is the first and only professional rugby team in the nation’s capital, Washington, DC. Established in 2018, Old Glory DC competes in Major League Rugby (MLR), a North American league that includes teams in New York, Boston, Atlanta, Toronto, Houston, New Orleans, Salt Lake City, San Diego, Austin, Seattle, Los Angeles and Dallas. The team was founded by life-long DC area residents, business leaders, and rugby players Chris Dunlavey and Paul Sheehy.  In 2019, the Scottish Rugby Union joined the partnership, committing both financial investment and operational support to the organization.  The 2022 Major League Rugby season kicks off in February of 2022. 

About Kiwi Kuisine

A New Zealand Maori rugby player, playing and coaching rugby in the Washington, D.C. area since 1992, Ram Todd found himself craving the savory taste of fresh meat pies so easily found back home in New Zealand. After searching the area and not finding this hot, quick, pick-me-up, Todd returned home to learn the art of making the perfect meat and vegetable handmade pies from local homeland bakeries.  After spending years fine tuning his recipes, he developed a method through which he effectively delivers what he calls “the finest and most delicious, flakiest, moist-in-the-center and heartiest meat pies around.” All pies are bakery hand-made with only the finest all-natural ingredients from local grocers and are free from any artificial flavors and preservatives, trans fats, antibiotics, and steroids.  Kiwi Kuisine meat pies are available at multiple locations throughout the DMV.  For additional information, please visit https://www.kiwikuisine.com/

ABOUT THE ALL BLACKS
With a history extending back more than a century, New Zealand’s national rugby team, the All Blacks, is not only the most successful international rugby team of all time but also one of the most successful teams in world sport, with a winning Test record of more than 75 percent. The All Blacks play European opponents every year in the Steinlager Series and again at the end of the year, and play Argentina, Australia and South Africa annually in the Investec Rugby Championship. In 2015 the All Blacks became the first team to win back-to-back Rugby World Cups, following their victory in 2011, and the first team to win three RWCs, with the All Blacks winning the inaugural Tournament in 1987. In 2013 they became the first international team in the professional era to go through the season unbeaten. The team has been named the World Rugby Team of the Year a record nine times and was Laureus Team of the Year in 2016.

ABOUT USA RUGBY
Founded in 1975, USA Rugby is the national governing body for the sport of rugby in America, and a Full Sport Member of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and World Rugby. Currently headquartered in Glendale, Colorado, USA Rugby is charged with developing the game on all levels with over 110,000 active members. USA Rugby oversees four senior national teams, multiple Junior National Teams and an emerging Olympic development pathway for elite athletes. In 2009, Rugby returned to the Olympic movement. In 2011, USA Rugby became a full sport member of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and is now recognized by the USOPC as the governing body for rugby in the USA. Rugby Sevens is now played in the Olympic Games, next upcoming in Tokyo 2021.

ABOUT 1874 CUP
The first account of organized rugby being played in the United States was in 1874 in a collegiate match between Harvard University (Boston, MA) and McGill University (Montreal, Quebec).  The 1874 Cup pays homage to this first contest and recognizes the history and tradition of rugby in North America.  Planned as a regular event attracting the world’s best rugby teams to the United States capital city, Washington, DC, the 1874 Cup is designed to help grow awareness and interest in the sport amongst Americans as the country bids to host the Rugby World Cup in either 2027 or 2031 for the men and 2029 for the women.  

ABOUT EVENTS DC
Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia, delivers premier event services and flexible venues across the nation’s capital. Leveraging the power of a world-class destination and creating amazing attendee experiences, Events DC generates economic and community benefits through the attraction and promotion of business, athletic, entertainment and cultural activities. Events DC oversees the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, an anchor of the District’s hospitality and tourism economy that hosts more than 1.7 million visitors and generates more than $400 million annually in total economic impact, and the historic Carnegie Library at Mt. Vernon Square. Events DC manages the RFK Stadium-Armory Campus (RFK Campus), including Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Festival Grounds at RFK Campus, The Fields at RFK Campus, the non-military functions of the DC Armory and the Skate Park at RFK Stadium. Stay current on the 190-acre RFK Campus Redevelopment Project at www.RFKFields.com. Events DC also built and serves as landlord for Nationals Park, the first LEED-certified major professional sports stadium in the United States. Events DC manages Gateway DC, R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center and Entertainment & Sports Arena, all conveniently located in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Washington, DC. Find us on social media – Facebook (Events DC), Twitter (@TheEventsDC and @TheEventsDC_SED for the Sports Entertainment and Special Events Division), and Instagram (@EventsDC).

About the Washington Football Team
Owned by Dan and Tanya Snyder since 1999, the Washington Football Team was founded in Boston in 1932 and is one of the original members of the NFL’s Eastern Division. The Washington Football Team relocated to Washington, D.C. in 1937 and has since become one of the most recognizable professional sports franchises in history, featuring multiple Hall of Fame coaches, 19 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and one recipient of the Walter Payton Man of The Year Award, Darrell Green. A proud and storied franchise, the Team has won five World Championship titles including the 1937 and 1942 National Football League Championship games, as well as Super Bowls XVII, XXII and XXVI. Since 1997, the Team has played their home games at FedExField, a multi-purpose stadium located in Landover, MD. Washington Football Team’s Football Operations are headquartered at the Inova Sports Performance Center in Ashburn, Virginia, and its Business Operations are headquartered at FedExField. 

ABOUT LEFT FIELD LIVE
Left Field Live (LFL) is an international live sports events business created to help sports rights holders reach new and interesting markets.   LFL has delivered events across a range of sports including rugby union, international soccer, ice hockey, basketball, college football and baseball into markets like Australia, North America, Asia, the Middle East and Europe.  Left Field Live is the promoter for the 1874 Cup.