The hometown of one the All Blacks great captains has been gifted a new, handcrafted bench.

Kurow, where Richie McCaw grew up, is one of 26 communities across New Zealand selected to receive a carved macrocarpa bench, ahead of the Rugby World Cup in France this year.

The bench was installed this week next to a trail running through the Mavis Shaw Reserve, with the message: “Me eke mai – our bench is your bench”.

It is intended as a thank you to New Zealand from the All Blacks for “having their backs and supporting them . . . and hopefully providing a safe place where kiwis can also go to have each other's backs”, a statement from New Zealand Rugby said.

“On the rugby field, the bench is the backbone of the team, the players have the backs of the rest of the side. Off the field, a bench is a place for people to come together, to share and connect, to celebrate and commiserate.

“This bench is built on a kaupapa of manaaki, on the belief that if we uphold the mana of others and make them bigger than ourselves, that we too will benefit.”

The bench features an exclusive All Blacks tohu (sign) as well as a message from the team. The tohu for this project is part of NZ Rugby's whakapapa.

Ahuriri Community Board Chair Calum Reid said the bench is a great addition to the village and the perfect spot to reflect a while and admire the beauty of Kurow. 

“Hopefully this means the All Blacks will bring the Rugby World Cup to town for a tour when they win it in September,” he said.

The tohu was designed by noted artist Tim Worrall (Ngāi Tūhoe) in 2011, to unite and inspire Aotearoa New Zealand to support the All Blacks.

The outer segments of the tohu are taniwhā (signifying teams), while the inner are the seeds of potential (te kakanō) in the shape of bird eyes, which combine to form a rugby ball.

When replicated on the back of the bench, they form a face (moko) and a lattice work background (kōwhaiwhai). The taniwha appear as wings (parirau), meaning those seated on the bench will have the All Blacks' team wings wrapped around them.