Flag of the Governor-General of New Zealand in the centre of the Southern Cross." Succeeding Governors found it convenient to use this flag on shore and it became accepted as the official viceregal flag. In 1907 New Zealand's status was officially transformed from self-governing colony to Dominion. To mark the transition to independence, the New Zealand Government recommended that the garland of laurels on the Governor’s flag should be replaced by one of fern leaves; the fern leaf was already recognised as one of New Zealand's national symbols. In a letter of 5 January 1908 the Governor requested that the garland around the badge on his flag
New Zealand national under-23 football team squad named for the 2015 Pacific Games. Caps listed are only at U23 level and are accurate as of 10 July 2015. Head coach: Anthony Hudson New Zealand national under-23 football team The New Zealand Under-23 Football Team, informally known as the "Oly-Whites", represents New Zealand Football and New Zealand in international Under-23 football (soccer) events, such as the Summer Olympics. The Oly-Whites qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing after winning the OFC Preliminary Competition in Fiji. Thus, Beijing saw the first Olympic appearance for a New Zealand men's football team. The New Zealand national under-23 football team