Legends match in NZ for Earthquake Appeal

[Sydney Titans Fanatic]

Big names of the past from both sides of the Tasman will band together for a Legends of League Charity Match at Mount Smart Stadium next Thursday (March 10) to raise funds for the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal.

New Zealand Rugby League chief executive Jim Doyle today confirmed the national body was working together with a group of former Kiwi legends and other organisations to stage a response from the code to help the Christchurch community.

?Everyone in the country is trying to find some way of helping the people in Christchurch and the Canterbury region,? he said.

?Staging the Legends of League Charity Match is our way of bringing people in Auckland together to provide some financial support for a community that?s been devastated and is in desperate need.

?We invite everyone to pack Mount Smart Stadium next Thursday and let?s all do the best we can to help Christchurch.?

Doyle said it was originally hoped to play the game on Wednesday, March 9 but a change of date was made late yesterday on police advice. They pointed out there would be a clash of events with racing?s glamour Auckland Cup meet already scheduled that day. With many of Auckland?s police force deployed to help in Christchurch, resources were stretched to cope with the Legends of League match on the same day.

Former internationals Gary Freeman, Monty Betham, Nigel Vagana and Tawera Nikau have coordinated a campaign on both sides of the Tasman to organise teams for the match while Mount Smart Stadium, the NZRL and Vodafone are lending their support. Also behind the cause is the NZRL?s League 4 Life Foundation.

Doyle said the total proceeds from the match - including a bucket collection throughout the evening ? would be donated to the earthquake appeal.

Among the former New Zealand internationals set to appear is Nikau himself, who is prepared to take the field despite having an artificial limb.

Many of the biggest names in New Zealand rugby league history are set to join Nikau including 1980s heroes Kurt Sorensen and Olsen Filipaina plus Stacey Jones, the Kiwis? 2008 World Cup-winning captain Nathan Cayless, Hugh McGahan and more.

More players are being enlisted with line-ups to be confirmed in the coming days. Australians Mario Fenech and David Peachey have also volunteered to play.

Doyle said top New Zealand musicians would provide entertainment before the game with Che Fu, Vince Harder, Jason Kerrison and ReQuest Dance Crew lined up. The entertainment is timed to start at 5.30pm after the gates open at 5.00pm with the Legends of League Charity Match kicking off at 7.00pm.

Tickets are priced at a flat rate of $20 for adults with all children 12 and under free. Tickets will be available from www.ticketek.co.nz from either tomorrow or Wednesday.

The list of players set to be involved so far is (all former Kiwis unless stated): Willie Talau, Nathan Cayless, David Kidwell, Luke Covell, Alex Chan, Olsen Filipaina, Kurt Sorensen, Andrew Lomu, Jason Williams, Sam Panapa, Sam Panapa, Sean Hoppe, Quentin Pongia, David Peachey (Australia), Mario Fenech (Australia), Awen Guttenbiel, Stacey Jones, Monty Betham, Richie Barnett, Wairangi Koopu, Logan Swann, Joe Vagana, Ruben Wiki, Tawera Nikau, Paul Rauhihi, Jerry Seuseu, Tea Ropati, Dean Lonergan, Clayton Friend, Duane Mann, Francis Leota, Hugh McGahan.


http://nrl.com/legends-match-in-nz-f...8/default.aspx

[Sydney Titans Fanatic]

Wow theres a few big names in the teams....This worked well for the flood apeal and its good to see some aussie legends going accross the tasman to lend a hand

[Sydney Titans Fanatic]

Former Kiwis star Tawera Nikau says he's ready to play in a Christchurch earthquake charity rugby league match despite having an artificial leg.

The game in Auckland on Thursday week will feature a host of New Zealand greats such Olsen Filipaina, Kurt Sorensen, Hugh McGahan, Stacey Jones and Reuben Wiki along with several Australians including Mario Fenech and David Peachey taking part.

But it's Nikau, a feared, hard-running lock forward in his NRL days with Cronulla and Melbourne, who will be the main attraction if he takes the field at Mount Smart Stadium.

Nikau, who won a NRL premiership with the Storm in 1999, had his right leg amputated following a motorcycle accident eight years ago.

But the 44-year-old hasn't let his disability slow him down much, as he proved last year when he completed the New York marathon alongside former All Black Frank Bunce.

Next week's game has been organised by the New Zealand Rugby League and a host of former Kiwi internationals.

Gary Freeman, Monty Betham, Nigel Vagana and Nikau have helped put the teams together.

NZRL chief executive Jim Doyle said rugby league wanted to do their bit to support those affected by the earthquake.

"Everyone in the country is trying to find some way of helping the people in Christchurch and the Canterbury region," he said.

"Staging the Legends of League Charity Match is our way of bringing people in Auckland together to provide some financial support for a community that's been devastated and is in desperate need."

http://nrl.com/nikau-ready-to-play-i...0/default.aspx

[DIEHARD]

Great cause and great event.

Hopefully this will be a sign of things to come. That these types of games should become ar regular thing.

[Sydney Titans Fanatic]

its good to see some aussies going over to help with this game aswell

[DIEHARD]

Final Line-Ups Confirmed For Legends Of League Charity Match

Rugby league greats Ruben Wiki and Ben Elias have been named as captains of the star-studded New Zealand and Australian teams for the Legends of League Charity Match at Mount Smart Stadium next Thursday (March 10) to raise funds for the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal. It will be a case of back to the future for the 38-year-old Wiki who will play in the centres, the position he filled early in his Test career after making his debut in 1994.

To be a part of the action, you can bid in our on-line auction for a place on one of the teams, all proceeds to the official appeal. Bid here and to get along to the game buy your tickets here.

Alongside him will be a number of players he had as New Zealand team-mates at some stage during his career including Richie Barnett, Sean Hoppe, David Kidwell, Stacey Jones, Joe Vagana, Gary Freeman, Quentin Pongia and more.

Also in the New Zealand side are the legendary Kurt Sorensen and Olsen Filipaina, brilliant players from the 1980s now both well into their fifties. Filipaina is playing despite battling illness in recent years while one of the game's organisers Tawera Nikau will play with his artificial leg.

Elias, an outstanding hooker in his day for Balmain, New South Wales and Australia, has one of his Tigers team-mates Paul Sironen with him while revered Vodafone Warriors hard man Kevin Campion is also lining up. Included in the Australian side are four New Zealand guest players in Clayton Friend, Mark Horo, Craig Smith and Jason Williams plus Tonie Carroll, who played for both the Kiwis and the Kangaroos during his career.

Also named is Australian football star Mark Bosnich, who carved out a long professional career with Manchester United, Aston Villa and Chelsea in the English Premier League.

The only names to be confirmed are for the spots kept open in each side for the highest bidders in an online auction on www.trademe.co.nz.

Apart from Nikau, the other former players helping to bring the squads together are Gary Freeman, former Vodafone Warriors captain Monty Betham and Nigel Vagana while the New Zealand Rugby League, the League 4 Life Foundation, Vodafone and Mount Smart Stadium are lending their support to the event.

?To be a part of the action, fans can bid here for a place in one of the teams (all proceeds to the official appeal). For those wanting to attend the match buy your tickets here (or go to www.ticketek.co.nz or www.nzrl.co.nz).
?Tickets are priced at $20.00 for everyone except children 12 and under, who will be granted free entry. There'll be bucket collections throughout the evening to raise funds for the appeal.
?The gates open at 5.00pm with entertainment starting at 5.30pm from artists such as Vince Harder, Jason Kerrison and the ReQuest Dance Crew.

LEGENDS OF LEAGUE CHARITY MATCH
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
7.00pm, Thursday, March 10

NEW ZEALAND

1 RICHIE BARNETT

2 SEAN HOPPE

3 DAVID KIDWELL

4 RUBEN WIKI (c)

5 SAM PANAPA

6 OLSEN FILIPAINA

7 STACEY JONES

8 JOE VAGANA

9 MONTY BETHAM

10 JERRY SEUSEU

11 KURT SORENSEN

12 TAWERA NIKAU

13 HUGH McGAHAN

Interchange:

14 GARY FREEMAN

15 DUANE MANN

16 PAUL RAUHIHI

17 LOGAN SWANN

18 TRADEME

19 QUENTIN PONGIA

20
AWEN GUTTENBEIL

AUSTRALIA

1 DAVID PEACHEY

2 HAZEM EL MASRI

3 DAVID MYLES

4 TONIE CARROLL

5 NATHAN BLACKLOCK

6 SCOTT HILL

7 CLAYTON FRIEND

8 MARK HORO

9 BEN ELIAS (c)

10 CRAIG SMITH

11 PAUL SIRONEN

12 JOHN HOPOATE

13 KEVIN CAMPION

Interchange:

14 JASON DEATH

15 PAUL LANGMACK

16 BRUCE McGUIRE

17 MARK BOSNICH

18 BILLY PEDEN

19 TRADEME

20 JASON WILLIAMS

http://www.nzrl.co.nz

[Sydney Titans Fanatic]

thats a pretty strong line up from both teams....

[Blazertaser]

Would be great if i was able to head over to help out, such a great idea for the town and victims

Thinking it would have to be televised on fox sports though?