Sports celebrities in love match

All Black great Christian Cullen is tackled by former league star Awen Guttenbeil during the Tsunami Appeal rugby game. Photo / Greg Bowker

Some of the biggest sporting names of days gone by were on display at Eden Park yesterday for a Tsunami Appeal rugby match played as a curtain-raiser to the Auckland match against Counties Manukau.

Christian Cullen, Jeff Wilson, Awen Guttenbeil and Stacey Jones all got on the score sheet as an American Samoan selection beat a Samoan line-up 35-25.

As well as rugby and league stars, players from other sports, such as cricket's Adam Parore and soccer's Noah Hickey, also turned out for a match from which all proceeds were to be donated to help victims of the Samoa Tsunami.

"Trying to chase some of these guys was pretty hard," Blues coach Pat Lam said.

"But it was for a good cause and the effort these guys put in to put their bodies on the line was awesome."

Lam, however, said Blues training would still be more of a case of "do as I say" than "do as I do". "We gave them a good example of what happens when you don't prepare yourself for a game."

Former league international and boxer Monty Betham admitted to being a bit star-struck by some of his team-mates.

"Playing with legends of so many codes was awesome," Betham said. "It was a lot of fun and seeing some of these big names up close was awesome. The fans really enjoyed it.

"It was a great cause. It's been really overwhelming to see the way the New Zealand people have reacted to the plight of those in Samoa."

Betham has been linked to a return to league with former club the Warriors but he laughed when asked if the match was his first step on the comeback trail.

"There might be a few New Zealand rugby teams up and down the country that want my services after that," he quipped.