The All Blacks team were put through a series of assault courses and challenges to test Telecom’s latest durable smartphone.

Dan Carter, Kieran Read, Luke Romano, Ben Franks and Piri Weepu were invited to test the features of the new smartphone in the Telecom ‘Living-Proof Challenge’ at Telecom Place, Auckland.

Telecom says the dust-proof, scratch and water-resistant Motorola DEFY XT is designed to withstand different New Zealand settings, with the All Blacks on hand to assess the claims.

The players had to tackle an assault course, designed to put the phones and player through a series of scenarios and environments that New Zealanders and their mobiles face each day.

The challenges included pushing a precarious shopping trolley, pushing an office chair around a slalom, digging for the DEFY XT in a sandpit, packing a trailer with farm equipment, and sailing a remote-control speedboat around a paddling pool with the phone aboard, followed by a rugby ball ‘shootout’.

At the end of the challenge, official referee Weepu made calls to the other All Black’s DEFY XT phones to prove they were still in good working order.

“What better way to test this robust new Smartphone than by getting some of the country’s toughest rugby players to challenge it, and themselves, in a series of everyday environments,” says Jason Paris, Telecom’s chief marketing officer.

“As the All Blacks demonstrated today, the Motorola DEFY XT is ideal for Kiwis from all walks of life but particularly busy outdoor workers like tradespeople, landscape gardeners and farmers.

The Motorola DEFY XT is Motorola’s most durable Android-powered Smartphone after research revealed over half of smartphone users (52%) have experienced scratched screens or surfaces and damage due to everyday wear and tear within the first three to six months of purchase.