All Blacks named for Wairarapa visit

STARS: All Blacks Ma'a Nonu, Victor Vito and Nehe Milner-Skudder are visiting Greytown before they fly to England for the Rugby World Cup.PHOTO/SUPPLIED

All Blacks, Ma'a Nonu, Victor Vito and Nehe Milner-Skudder, will be rolling into Greytown tomorrow, just days out from jetting off to England for the Rugby World Cup 2015.

The trio are visiting the town after 13-year-old Amy Rossiter-Stead won a New Zealand Rugby competition with a video explaining why Greytown deserved a visit from the All Blacks.

The Solway College student, who lives in Greytown and is a former Greytown JAB rugby player, said she was "really excited" about meeting the "great role models".

"It's so cool that they're coming to our community," Amy said. "They're going to meet all sorts of people in our town, from the little kids to the older generation. And that's what Team Greytown is about - the Greytown community.

"They also get to meet Greytown's future All Blacks, because we've got a few who play in our JAB teams."

Amy said the town could wish them good luck before they headed to the Rugby World Cup.

Fans can meet the players tomorrow at Greytown Town Hall, where they will sign autographs at 11.45am.

Wairarapa Bush Rugby Union vice-chair Catherine Rossiter-Stead said fans should bring along an item they wanted signed.

First stop for the sport stars is morning tea with Polly Matthews - the wife of Maori All Black Kingi Matthews, who died last year.

Mr Matthews played for Wairarapa when they won the Ranfurly Shield in 1950 and was one of the the last surviving 28th Maori Battalion veterans from Wairarapa.

"Polly is a life member of Greytown Rugby Club," said Mrs Rossiter-Stead. "And, as everyone knows all good rugby clubs are run by women and, in her time, she was a stalwart of the club.

"Members of her whanau are still very much involved in the running of and playing for the club."

After their visit to Ultimate Care Greytown, where Mrs Matthew lives, Nonu, Vito and Milner-Skudder will head to Greytown Early Learning Centre.

There, they will join the children in imprinting their hands on paving tiles.

Next up for the All Blacks will be Greytown School for rugby coaching sessions with pupils.

Mrs Rossiter-Stead said the school children had organised a haka to welcome them

Afterwards the public are invited to shake hands with the All Blacks at Greytown Town Hall, where Greytown JAB is putting on a fundraiser sausage sizzle.

The three All Blacks will also visit Carterton School, who also entered a video in the competition.