It’s a rugby bonanza as All Black winger Joe Rokocoko and former All Black, the legendary Frank Bunce join award-winning sports entertainment show HYUNDAI CODE this Thursday May 15 at 8.30 PM (repeats Sunday May 18 at 4.00 PM).
A regular face in the national team since his debut in 2003, specialist left-winger Joe Rokocoko’s try-scoring brilliance has given the rugby nation some of its highest highs in recent years. The current Blues and All Blacks star was the first player to score 10 tries in his first five tests, and the first All Black to score two or more tries in four consecutive tests. His speed and agility are, of course, his greatest weapons – this is a man who can sprint 40m from standing in 4.66 seconds. But add to this statistic his defensive game and high work rate, and it’s not hard to see why he consistently gets the nod in one of the most tightly-contested positions in rugby.
Frank Bunce didn’t so much take the New Zealand rubgy world by storm as by stealth. A late bloomer for the All Blacks – he was already 30 when then-coach Laurie Mains selected him in 1992 – he nonetheless went on tō become a stalwart in the side at second five eight. His midfield combination with Walter Little is still considered one of the greatest of them all. Bunce played 69 matches in all for New Zealand, and the hallmarks of his game were his ability to read the game, and create opportunities for his outsides. Nearly 36 when he played his last test, he has the distinction of being the second oldest All Black test player, and the oldest back.
Blues centre, Anthony Tuitavake, had hoped tō join the HYUNDAI CODE crew this week, but has had to pull out because of clashes with his schedule.
Voted Best Sports Programme at last year’s Air New Zealand Screen Awards, HYUNDAI CODE is an hour-long show – now in its fourth year – and filmed live in front of a studio audience at Māori Television’s Auckland headquarters. Tāwera Nīkau 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 Māori Television every Thursday at 8.30 PM (repeats every Sunday at 4.00 PM).
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