'She popped out and it was all over... so we went back to watching the game’: All Blacks fans welcome a baby girl during halftime of the Rugby World Cup final
- All Blacks fans Daniel Pearce and Andrea Tucker welcomed a daughter
- Baby Isla Jamie was born at halftime during the Rugby World Cup final
- Her parents started watching the game at home before going to hospital
- They streamed the game on their smartphone to watch in the delivery room
- Baby Isla left the hospital later that day in as All Blacks onesie
They may have been watching the Rugby World Cup final on the small screen, but the halftime entertainment played out live for Daniel Pearce and Andrea Tucker.
The Rotorua residents, in New Zealand's North Island, welcomed their daughter Isla Jamie Pearce during half time of the final that saw New Zealand claim victory over Australia.
The All Blacks fans made sure they did not miss a moment of either the game or the birth, and told stuff.co.nz they set up livestream coverage on their phone as they made a dash for the hospital.
A tiny fan was born: Isla Jamie Pearce was born at halftime during the Rugby World Cup final to her parents Daniel Pearce and Andrea Tucker, who are All Blacks fans
Bringing in the baby: The couple had settled in to watch the match at home, but just after the haka made a dash for the hospital
The couple had planned to watch the match at home, but baby Isla had different plans.
‘We left just after the haka and put the game on the phone and watched it at the hospital pretty much,’ Mr Pearce told stuff.co.nz.
‘At halftime, [Dan] Carter kicked that kick … then [the baby] popped out and it was all over so we went back to watching the game.’
A shared love: Daniel and Andrea watched the match on their smartphones in the delivery room
Sports mad family: Baby Isla was born at halftime, just after 'Carter kicked that kick'
Baby Isla is Mr Pearce’s first child and Ms Tucker’s third.
Mr Pearce, who plays rugby for Rotorua Marist St Michael’s, was not the only sports mad fan in the delivery room.
After she initially turned the volume on the phone down, Ms Tucker turned it back up because she wouldn’t bear the quiet.
Turn it up: Despite initially turning the volume down, Andrea turned it back up because she couldn't bear the quiet
A baby was born! It was quite the night for the All Blacks fans who welcomed a beautiful daughter and won the World Cup
Soon the hospital staff joined in, and despite trying to keep the noise down, Mr Pearce said there was a ‘few claps’ and ‘yahoos’.
Should baby Isla make her debut in time for the match, Mr Pearce had bought her a tiny All Blacks onesie which she proudly wore as she left the hospital later that day.
‘She was pretty good really. It tops off the day, aye,’ Mr Pearce said.
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