Former All Black enjoys VIP game day treatment

Maurice 'Snow' Cockerill, 85, with Hawke's Bay Rugby Union commercial manager Jay Campbell (left) and Hawke's Bay Today general manager Russell Broughton. Photo / Duncan Brown

Former All Black Maurice "Snow" Cockerill, with nine residents in tow from his Hastings retirement village, enjoyed an experience few can boast of at McLean Park on Saturday.

The 85-year-old won tickets to the Napier test and a game day breakfast experience at the park for him and nine friends, after submitting his favourite All Blacks memory to Hawke's Bay Today.

He used a random draw at Summerset in the Orchard Retirement Village to decide who would accompany him to the special breakfast, as well as who would receive the 10 tickets to Saturday's test match.

After a Kiwi breakfast at the park, the group received VIP treatment and had a tour of the grounds.

Mr Cockerill, who played in the All Blacks' 1951 tour of Australia and submitted memories of the tour to Hawke's Bay Today's competition, was impressed with the state of the park.

"I asked them, where's the beer crates and planks that we used to sit on'?"

As Mr Cockerill is blind, he forwent his ticket to that night's game, choosing to listen to it on the radio instead.

He said the 10 lucky residents enjoyed the game despite the rain.

They included a 77-year-old lady who had never been to a rugby game in her life and thought the test was "marvellous".

"They'd never been to anything like it. It won't be forgotten."

Hawke's Bay Today general manager Russell Broughton said Mr Cockerill and his friends loved the experience.

"Snow told entertaining stories from his time as a Taranaki rep and as an All Black," he said.

Mr Broughton said Hawke's Bay Rugby Union commercial manager Jay Campbell presented Mr Cockerill with an All Blacks jersey.

Despite Mr Cockerill's poor eyesight, he was able to feel the jersey and comment on the differences in style from the jersey he wore as an All Black in 1951.