All Blacks and Blues hooker Keven Mealamu joins New Zealand Warriors captain Steve Price and sizzling shearers Dean Ball and Dion King as special studio guests at the live-to-air broadcast of Maori Television’s award-winning sports entertainment show HYUNDAI CODE this Thursday March 20 at 8.30 PM (repeats Sunday March 23 at 4.00 PM).`
Widely regarded as one of the best hookers in the world, Mealamu is bound to be one of the key players for the Auckland rugby team in the Super 14. He is an accurate lineout thrower and strong scrummager but his running game is a real strength where his skills and background make him almost a fourth loose forward. Mealamu is a former Blues’ captain whose leadership and advice will be of great benefit to the team’s cause in 2008.
Meanwhile, scans will determine how long the Warriors will be without inspirational captain Steve Price who suffered a suspected torn hamstring in their National Rugby League loss to defending champions Melbourne Storm on Monday night. The team will have plenty to work on before hosting Parramatta at their first home game of the season this Sunday.
Up to 400 world-class shearers and wool handlers will converge on Te Kuiti for the 24th New Zealand Shearing Championships in the last week of March. Consistent veteran place-getter, occasional district show winner and world record holder Dean Ball of Te Kuiti and fellow Maori shearer Dion King from Napier will be on the CODE couch to promote the sport – with a live-to-air demonstration!
Voted Best Sports Programme at last year’s Air New Zealand Screen Awards, HYUNDAI CODE is an hour-long live-to-air show – now in its fourth year – which is filmed in front of a studio audience at Maori Television’s Auckland headquarters. Tawera Nikau and Jenny-May Coffin are joined by Warriors’ Wairangi Koopu and the ‘Brofessionals’ – aka Glen Osborne (Oz) and Matua Parkinson (Mutz) – for more news, inside stories and off-camera action with Kiwi sports stars excelling at home and abroad.
Book your ringside seat for hard-case interviews and plenty of laughs with HYUNDAI CODE – screening on Maori Television every Thursday at 8.30 PM (repeats every Sunday at 4.00 PM).