Celebs and All Blacks burn rubber at wheelchair rugby match

High-profile celebrities and sporting heroes competed chair-to-chair with the Wheel Blacks today at the No8 Celebrity Wheelchair Rugby Match to raise funds for the New Zealand Rugby Foundation (NZRF).

Hosted at the Auckland Spinal Unit in Otara, players included All Blacks Keven Mealamu and Benson Stanley, past All Blacks Buck Shelford and Tana Umaga, along with Shortland Street’s Robbie Magasiva, Ido Drent and many more.

Go Girls star Joe Naufahu was named ‘Player of the Match’.

It was exciting, well fought, and as expected the Wheel Blacks outpaced, outclassed, and outmuscled the celebrities.

All Black Keven Mealamu says, “It’s amazing how disabled we, the able-bodied, feel when put outside our comfort zone."

"I have huge respect for the guys in the Wheel Blacks. The way they live life to the full, and what they have gone on to achieve post-injury is truly inspiring.”

All proceeds raised from the No8 Celebrity Wheelchair Rugby Match go directly to the NZRF to enable continued support for the Wheel Blacks, along with providing care and resources to seriously injured rugby players and their families, and funding to other areas of need within New Zealand rugby.

No8 Patron Buck Shelford says along with raising funds, he hopes the match shows life doesn’t stop for injured rugby players.

“With rehabilitation and the right support, players who have been injured in our game can still go on and compete at the highest level,” he says.

“It’s a testament not only to their physical strength, but to their mental strength as well. These blokes are tough where it counts.”

NZRF CEO Andrew Flexman hopes that the campaign has helped to educate people about serious rugby injuries.

“Rugby is about the camaraderie and spirit that comes from playing, watching, coaching, or just being part of the team. Support post-injury is no different. The players need a strong, stable community around them, and we look forward to continuing to provide that. It’s about taking care of rugby’s own.”

Rugby supporters can get involved with the wheelchair-rugby action online, make a donation, watch all the big hits, and bid to win signed playing shirts by logging onto www.no8.co.nz.

The NZRF launched www.no8.co.nz in order to create an online community for passionate rugby supporters that would celebrate New Zealand’s best-loved sport, as well as serve to benefit seriously-injured rugby players.