Rugby is in Our Blood – Country TV Tells These Stories

Rugby is in Our Blood – Country Tv Tells These Stories

THE SERIES KICKS OFF ON WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24 AT 7:30PM

This twelve part documentary series features rural communities and people for whom rugby is so much more than a game of two halves. There have always been strong connections between our beloved national game and our faming and rural populations.

Many All Blacks started their journeys on fields of dreams in country communities and many of us have watched our country kids grow through the sporting ranks to become formidable plays on national or international stages.

There are many stories to tell and this series is just a few of them – of country kids made good and of the people who continue to help them get there.

We all know these people. They are our brothers and dads, sisters and aunties. Their stories belong to all of us – because ever since that first game in Nelson Botanical Gardens in May 1870 – Rugby is in our blood.

Rugby in our blood begins with episode one 24th August 2016 at 7:30pm. Country TV is channel 081 on the SKY platform. Rugby in our blood is proudly sponsored by Hansen Products.

EPISODE ONE: Oaonui, South Taranaki, we meet the rugby club who wanted to ensure their longevity and bought a dairy farm. On air August 24th 7:30pm

EPISODE TWO: David Holwell, Northland good guy with a big boot and an even bigger heart. Played for the Hurricanes, Blues, Leinster in Ireland and of course Northland. Now retired and either doing up houses or on the farm we are with him as he still coaches. On air 31st August 7:30pm

EPISODE THREE: Gary Walton, lives and works in Loburn, North Canterbury. Gary has played for Canterbury and North Canterbury, held many admin positions in the rugby unions and football clubs. He has two great passions Farming & Rugby. On air 7th September 7:30pm

EPISODE FOUR: James Foote played pro rugby in NZ and Australia for 10 years and says he just applies the values and skills he learned on the field to farming. We meet up with James and his extended family on their new farm in Karaka, Auckland. On air 14th September 7:30pm Page | 2

EPISODE FIVE: Southland is the true home of grassroots rugby and has grown more than its fair share of international players. We meet Linda the secretary, treasurer, medic, sideline kicker and general rugby mum – she is the glue at Mataura Ruby Club. On air 21st September 7:30pm

EPISODE SIX: A 5,054 hectare station in Central Hawkes Bay has been running a two year Farm Cadet training programme since 1931. We meet Smedley and 22 cadets who live and work there and Rob & Jenn Evans who run the station and Rob is also a well known rugby player having represented Hawkes Bay and the NZ under 19s. On air 28th September 7:30pm

EPISODE SEVEN: Waitete RFC has some pretty famous old boys, notably the Meades brother and its players are still mainly boys from local farms. We are there with Waitete as they keep the ethos of Pinetree and his mates, firmly alive. On air 5th October 7:30pm

EPISODE EIGHT: We catch up in studio and on farm with rugby nut and farmer / broadcaster Jamie MacKay in Dundein. On air 12th October, 7:30pm

EPISODE NINE: Stephen Donald aka Beaver has truly been there done that. He has been from zero to hearo and even had a TV drama made about ‘that kick’. This week we meet the whitebaiter from Waiuku. On air 19th October 7:30pm

EPISODE TEN: East Coast Rugby Union, founded in 1921 and largely fueled and supported by Ngati Porou, this remote club has a woman as its CEO – we are with Cushla Tangaere-Manuel and whanau in Ruatoria. On air 26th October 7:30pm

EPISODE ELEVEN: Chris Raymond, 19 year old Auckland city boy who moved to the Wairarapa to pursue his love of rugby, bull-riding and farming. Plays for Wanganui Bush and has just started as a junior shepherd after attending Taratahi Agri College. On air 2nd November 7:30pm

EPISODE TWELVE: Brittany Coates, Massey graduate who is playing for the Fiji Women’s Sevens and is hoping to go to Rio Olympics this August. On air 9th November 7:30pm

ENDS

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