A Ted talk for charity
Sir Graham Henry’s coaching credentials will be put to the test by a former All Black and a world heavyweight boxing star.
The 2011 World Cup-winning coach has agreed to step out of head-coaching retirement to lead the Blair Vining Invitational XV in a charity showdown at Rugby Park in Invercargill on October 17.
Coaching the yet-to-be named opposition team will be Israel Dagg and former world heavyweight boxing champion Joseph Parker.
The Pack The Park game has been organised as a tribute fixture one year on from Vining’s death.
Vining died on October 11 after spending the majority of his final 12 months campaigning for better cancer care for his fellow New Zealanders. This included planting the idea of a charity hospital for Southlanders, for which his widow Melissa has continued the push.
Although Pack The Park’s organisers are yet to reveal the two teams, a host of former All Blacks are expected to dust off their boots, alongside other New Zealand celebrities.
Henry, widely known as Ted, was quick to agree to pull out the coaching clipboard again. ‘‘I think what made people really get behind the Vining family is how, in a time
At a time when people would have understandably been afraid or angry at their cancer situation, the Vining family brought attention to the disparities in the health system.
SIR GRAHAM HENRY
when a lot of people who have quite understandably been afraid or angry at their [cancer] situation, they used their voices to bring attention to the disparities in our health system.
‘‘I think that’s an incredibly admirable thing.’’
Henry was looking forward to seeing some of New Zealand’s ‘‘great rugby players’’ back out on the paddock on October 17.
Parker echoed Henry’s thoughts as he prepared to step into the rugby coaching game, albeit briefly.
‘‘I think it takes a really special person to show the kind of tenacity Blair Vining had when going through something as devastating,’’ Parker said.
‘‘He spent his last time here trying to make a better life for the people of Southland and Otago. I really admired that, like a lot of Kiwis did.’’
The boxer also felt he should make the trip to Invercargill to help his good mate Matt Watson, the host of the ITM Fishing Show, who will captain the team that Parker and Dagg are coaching.
‘‘He’s a bit on the small side. Hopefully, having me on the bench gives him a bit of a confidence boost.
‘‘It might make some of the players in the other team think twice about targeting him if they know his water boy can be his bodyguard as well,’’ Parker joked.
Dagg was looking forward to teaming up with Parker in the coaching ranks.
‘‘[I’m] not going to lie, when I was asked if I was available to play rugby, I laughed and said ‘are you serious?’
‘‘But then I saw the team sheets and had a wee giggle to myself. I said yes but as coach.
‘‘In all seriousness, what the team are doing for cancer patients really hits home for me.’’
Melissa Vining was amazed, overwhelmed and humbled that many high-profile sporting stars were getting behind the Pack The Park game.
‘‘I couldn’t believe it when I heard Sir Graham Henry, Joseph Parker and Izzy Dagg were prepared to get involved.’’