Wainui to be remembered at NPC games

AUCKLAND: The NPC match between Bay of Plenty and Northland, scheduled to be played at Tauranga Domain at 2.05pm tomorrow, has been postponed in the wake of Sean Wainui's death.

The Bay of Plenty, Chiefs and Maori All Blacks back was killed in a singlevehicle crash at McLaren Falls Park in Omanawa, near Tauranga, on Monday.

Wainui is survived by his wife, Paige, and their children, Kawariki and Arahia. A tangi for Wainui will be held in Gisborne tomorrow.

New Zealand Rugby said that after consulting with their playing groups, both unions agreed it did not feel appropriate to play on the day of Wainui's tangi.

NZ Rugby is working with the Bay of Plenty and Northland unions to reschedule the match, with details to be announced in due course.

NZR has also asked the rugby community to come together to acknowledge Wainui’s life before all NPC and Heartland Championship matches this weekend.

Players, coaches, managers and match officials will be wearing black armbands and Wainui will also be acknowledged with a special tribute and moment's silence before each match.

The tributes started before last night’s Otago v Canterbury match at Forsyth Barr Stadium.

Wainui’s whanau also thanked the rugby community and the New Zealand public for their ‘‘love and generosity’’ as the family continues to mourn his death.

In a statement to the media, a family spokesperson said: ‘‘We just want to thank everyone for their love and generosity. The beautiful tributes that have come from those who loved him all across the world means a lot to us all.

‘‘We understand there are many hurting right now and wanting to hear from the whanau, but please respect that we have just lost our baby brother, a son, a husband and a father and our focus right now is healing and laying my brother to rest.’’ —