Rural games pulls in personalities

The return of the Hilux New Zealand Rural Games will bring a host of recognisable faces to Manawatu¯ , including All Blacks coach Steve Hansen.

Organisers have secured a group of sports, television, radio and social media stars to attend various parts of the upcoming festival weekend.

Hansen will be part of the Norwood New Zealand Rural Sports Awards celebrations in Palmerston North on March 9. The 58-year-old has been at the helm of the All Blacks since 2012 and led them to Rugby World Cup glory in 2015.

The former Wales head coach became the All Blacks’ assistant coach in 2004 and was in the role as they won the Rugby World Cup in 2011.

He will be joined at the awards by two-time Olympic gold medallist Eric Murray, one half of the champion men’s coxless pair.

Team New Zealand tactician Ray Davies and cyclors Simon van Velthooven and Guy Endean will also be involved in the awards, along with Rio Olympic silver medal-winning shooter Natalie Rooney and former All Black turned TV personality Marc Ellis.

Olympic and Commonwealth Games cyclist Cath Cheatley has been signed on for the Running of the Wools in Feilding on March 9. The rural games judging panel is Sir Brian Lochore, Sir David Fagan and Judy ‘Tinks’ Pottinger.

New Zealand Rural Games Trust chairwoman Margaret Kouvelis said it was fantastic to have a strong lineup of New Zealand’s sporting stars to celebrate rural athletes.

Other well known faces involved in the weekend include Ling and Zing from The Block, Zach Franich from The Bachelor and How to Dad social media identity Jordan Watson.