Choppers fly in to save the day for ABs charity match
ALL Blacks Sam Cane and Anton Lienert-Brown flew to Southland to support a dying rugby coach’s final wish.
The pair attended yesterday’s bucket list rugby match for Winton man Blair Vining, 38, who is dying of terminal bowel cancer.
A last-minute drama led to offers of help to ensure the All Black players got to the important game.
Southland rugby coach Vining, 38, wanted a simple game with mates after being diagnosed in October with stage-four cancer. But a huge response from past and present friends and his Central Southland College
First XV saw it spiral into a star-studded event.
Organisers kept the appearance of Cane and Lienert-Brown a tightly held secret until 3pm.
Aminor hiccup in transport had caused some last-minute ‘‘drama’’, partner Melissa Vining said from the game’s venue, Winton’s Midlands Rugby Football Park.
The flight for the All Blacks from Hamilton was cancelled but within 45 minutes of a post on social media, businesses and supporters around New Zealand rallied to get them there.
Two helicopter companies worked together to fly them from Queenstown and then on to the field, with the stars arriving five minutes before the kick off.
Melissa Vining said the offers of helpwere overwhelming.
‘‘We’ve been dealt a really rough hand but you can’t be anything but positive with everything people are doing to help.’’
Blair Vining’s hand-picked team took on an invitational side selected from a flurry of offers made by past and present team-mates.
A local company sponsored full team kits for both sides including old-school rugby shirts designed by Vining.
In addition to the support of Cane and Lienert-Brown, the
‘ He’s a very brave, courageous and selfless person.’ MELISSA VINING
game featured well-known names Jimmy Cowan, Mils Muliaina – who subbed for Blair, Tim Boys, Corey Flynn, Jason Rutledge and David Hall.
Melissa Vining said a Blair Vining Sports Foundation was set up late last year as Blair wanted offers of support to go towards his and future College teams. ‘‘He’s a very brave, courageous and self-less person.’’
A curtain-raiser between the Central Southland College First XV and an invitational team hand-picked by Blair kicked off at 1.15pm.
An auction, sausage sizzle and black-tie event last night would all help to fundraise for the Foundation’s first goal of helping to pay for the first XV’s pre-season tour to Queensland in April.
Melissa said after his diagnosis Blair asked her to promise his boys would make it to the tour – with or without him.