Southland Charity Hospital founder Melissa Vining said she was grateful for the way the sporting community had got behind the hospital project.
The Pack the Park idea began as a bucket-list event for the late Blair Vining, who campaigned for more equitable cancer treatment in the South.
The 2020 Park the Park event attracted more than 7000 people and celebrated the first $1million raised by members of the Southland community.
"The festival rugby game is a thank-you to the southern community for their support during the building of the Southland Charity Hospital, which is scheduled to open in March."
Mrs Vining said she was grateful to Corey Flynn and other sportspeople who had worked hard to see the hospital established so Southlanders were able to better access cancer care.
She held great expectations for the Blair Vining team and believed Paddy Gower would be the first person to score a try in the game — even if he had to wrangle his way through the solid All Black side to do it.
A veritable who’s who of Southland rugby are included across the two teams, including David Hall, James Wilson, David Heaps, Scott Cowan, Greg Dyer and Jason Rutledge.
Matt Watson’s ITM Invitational XV includes former All Blacks John Afoa, Mose Tuiali’i and Chris Masoe, New Zealand Sevens and Māori representative Scott Waldrom and brother Thomas, who was capped five times by England. New Zealand Maori player Willie Walker will look to spark the attack from fullback.
The AB Lime Blair Vining XV, captained by TV presenter Paddy Gower, features former All Blacks Jamie Mackintosh, Kees Meeuws, Corey Flynn, Kieran Read, Jimmy Cowan, Pita Alatini, Mils Muliaina, Paul Miller, Jason Eaton and Piri Weepu, along with Scottish international Brendan Laney and Tongan rep Hale T-Pole.
Tickets for Pack the Park are free and can be sourced through Ticketek.
- The Pack the Park game will be streamed on the Otago Daily Times website.
By Toni McDonald
