All Black Kevin Mealamu vs child to build St John Toy Ambulance

All Blacks might be New Zealand demigods. But they are not immune to being outsmarted by a child.

Former All Black Kevin Mealamu went head to head with Maungawhau School student Adam Thorpe to build a St John Toy Ambulance.

The toys are a fundraising initiative to "help a little ambulance become a big ambulance".

ASB teamed up with St John to sell toy block ambulances to buy one new appliance to join its 660-strong fleet.

Mealamu was a bit nervous going up against Thorpe as the student "looks like he's done it before". The athlete is supportive of the initiative.

"It's a really good because they're getting behind St John ambulance and they are trying to raise enough money. If they are able to do that they'll be able to send it to where they need it."

St John need a new ambulance to join their fleet which gets almost half-a-million call outs a year.

Thorpe easily had the best-looking ambulance and the end of the building competition.

He said Mealamu did not follow the instructions at all.

"Once we got up to the headlights he went completely wrong. Had a bunch of things sticking up the top.

"This is what happens when you follow the instructions. You win."

With 455,000 ambulance calls, 428,000 patients cared for and nearly 20 million kilometres travelled in New Zealand in the past year alone, St John's ambulances and its paramedics are New Zealanders' first port of call in an emergency.

Providing emergency services to almost 90 per cent of New Zealanders, St John has 660 ambulances stationed throughout the country, and responds to 1,200 calls daily. But with high demand for its services, and the country's growing population, St John requires a new ambulance to join its fleet.

The St John Toy Ambulances come as a limited edition 106-piece block set for you or the kids to put together. They're available to purchase for $15.