Are you too chicken for betting?

It's time once more for the TAB-Herald on Sunday charity betting competition - where five brave souls (and a chicken) take on the gambling gods in pursuit of a hefty payout for charity.

The concept is simple. Two teams - three readers against two media men and the TAB Sport Prediction Chicken compete to see who can make the most out of their $50 stake each week of the Rugby World Cup.

It's media vs readers and, when the dust settles on the RWC, the returns will be tallied to see which team has won the most money for charity and earns bragging rights.

There's also an individual element - the player with the highest returns gets to nominate the charity to which the profits are applied.

To that end, allow us to introduce the contestants: Herald on Sunday sports editor Paul Lewis, sportswriter Andrew Alderson and the TAB Sport Prediction Chicken.

No bad jokes about which is which please, although the insightful among you will discern that Alderson and Lewis will be trying hard not to be beaten by the, ahem, chicken; never mind the readers.

It's the readers who are really interesting. Lawry Bassett, of Auckland, says he played as a winger for 33 years (nickname: The Flying Ribcage), has run 13 marathons, has been snowboarding for 10 years and is in the New Zealand disabled team for the world sailing championships next year. He has contracted motor neurone disease - the same as that suffered by former crack Springbok halfback Joost van der Westhuizen - and says he has his charity all sorted out.

Peter Collis is New Zealand's leading potter. Based in Auckland, this ceramic artist has held exhibitions all over the world and used to play halfback for University rugby club where he and his team-mates won the Gallaher Shield in 1974. Bit of street cred there. Malcolm Taylor had to give up his rugby at 22, courtesy of a bung knee but prefers to characterise it: "I had to turn the All Blacks down; I had other opportunities." These days he is a vocal fan who says he loses his voice after each big game. With today's bets to come, the media are slightly ahead with Andrew Alderson leading the way individually. However, Lawry Bassett ominously has two legs of a $148 multi-bet in and that could turn matters on their head.