Rugby: Sir Graham Henry makes a night of it

World Cup-winning coach Sir Graham Henry will be appearing in Tauranga next month - and the event organisers have worked hard to keep the costs down, with the $115 tickets almost 75 per cent cheaper than a similar event with the new knight in Auckland.

An Evening with Sir Graham Henry gives a rare chance to hear the top rugby coach discuss the inside workings of the All Blacks and the journey through to World Cup victory. He will give a keynote speech as well as an exclusive interview. The evening will also feature a live audience Q&A; with Sir Graham, dinner, entertainment and a charity auction to support the Tauranga branch of youth cancer charity, CanTeen.

Events Innovated, who are producing and presenting the event, say they have worked hard to keep prices down. A similar event with Sir Graham in Auckland has their cheapest tickets starting at $450 per head.

"Sometimes Tauranga misses out on hosting these types of events, and Sir Graham is obviously a figure that many people are eager to listen to. He is a fantastic speaker, whose knowledge and experience will benefit a huge amount of people and organisations in the Bay," organiser Heath Ingham said.

Tables start at $1150 for 10 people, and there are also Premium and VIP event partner tables available with extra benefits such as a pre-reception with Sir Graham, preferential seating and event association exposure for businesses.

"There has been lots of interest so far without it even being publicly on sale yet," Ingham said."

Henry was recently announced as a New Zealand rugby high-performance coach-of-coaches, and will assist the Games coaches in the lead-up to the London Olympics.

He will also be working with the Argentinian Rugby Union and is touring England to speak with coaches in May.

"He is a sought-after man and all corners of the globe are nagging him, so we are very lucky to have him here in the Bay. He's definitely someone you don't want to miss the chance to hear speak."

The charity auction in support of CanTeen gives a special chance to support a great cause for young people living with cancer. The auction items will be varied, with lots of smaller-ticket ones in the mix for a bit of fun that won't blow the budget.

The event will be held on Wednesday, May 9, at Classic Flyer's function centre.