All Blacks: A day out at Tangoio with ‘Forklift Foster’ and ‘Chainsaw Retallick‘

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The newly named All Blacks squad and support team were full of passion and smiles at a working bee in cyclone-ravaged Tangoio in Hawke's Bay on Tuesday. Photo / Mitchell Hageman

Ian ‘Forklift’ Foster and Brodie ‘Chainsaw’ Retallick to the rescue.

The newly named All Blacks Rugby World Cup squad swapped their rugby boots for gumboots in a special working bee to help the cyclone-ravaged community of Tangoio on Tuesday.

A moving pōwhiri started the day as the group were welcomed to the settlement, many of them seeing the destruction in the flesh for the first time.

“You’ve just got to look around you to see what everyone has had to go through,” Foster told Hawke’s Bay Today.

“We don’t have too many times in our year [when] we can actually go and get involved in a community project, and this is a very obvious one for us.”

He said while they were only there for a short time, it was great to be able to provide a little bit of support and promote recovery in the region.

“We know we can only do a wee bit, but if it puts a bit of a focus on this area and helps keep the support coming, then that’s the key.”

In terms of appreciation from locals, Foster said it was reciprocated.

“We get a lot out of it too because these are the communities that we play for, and when our whānau is going through a tough time, it’s important that we be a part of it.”

Teams, coaches and support staff were split into three groups that worked on different areas of the settlement.

All Blacks legend Richie McCaw was among the many helping to clean out the silt-ridden kōhanga reo.

He said it was great to be able to spend some time with the team, but also to be able to come into the community and share the team’s support.

“It’s just to say we understand how tough things have been and that we care about everyone in our communities. I think that’s a big part of coming and doing something like this.

“The team value the support we get all around the country, and this is just a wee way of giving back. You can see the guys have all got a grin on their face to know that they’re actually helping.”

And hard yakka it was.

Most of the team was visibly breaking a sweat as they dumped silt, cleaned up debris and chopped down trees at record speed.

“The boys were going to go to the gym this afternoon - they might not need to after this,” McCaw said.

Kaumātua Joe Taylor said having the All Blacks at Tangoio, even for that short period, had been an immense help.

“It’s awesome. Totally, totally unbelievable. I’m looking at these people and cheering/cursing them for dropping the ball, and now I see them in person and am shaking their hands.

“It’s so wonderful, I’ll never get over it.”

He said seeing the team working and being happy to share the work among them was also incredibly special for the community.

Another whānau in the community that was grateful for the work was Taunoa family.

Gilmour, Diana and Denise Taunoa got help from the team and sole Hawke’s Bay rep Brodie Retallick, who manned a heavy truck and helped out with chainsaw duties.

“Ma pango ma whero, ka oti te mahi….. With black and with red, the work is completed,” Gilmour Taunoa said.

While she admitted she didn’t know many of the players (with the exception of Beauden Barrett, whom she was lucky enough to share a short van ride with), she said the family were absolutely thrilled to have the help.

“It’s also awesome to see all the whānau out here.”

Retallick said it was fantastic to be able to give back to his hometown and share that experience with his teammates.

“People here have been through a lot, and if the boys are to come out here and jump on the tools for two or three hours, hopefully that helps them out.

“I think it’s always good to give back. It’s been five months since the floods, and there’s still a lot of clean-up to do.”

Denise Taunoa said it was “awesome” to be able to meet the team and have them help.

“They were so eager to do the jobs, anything they could to help clean up.”

“It’s just been a huge help,” Diana Taunoa said.

The All Blacks continue their tour of Hawke’s Bay with an open training session at McLean Park at 9am on Wednesday.

Mitchell Hageman joined Hawke’s Bay Today in late January. From his Napier base, he writes regularly on social issues, arts and culture and the community. He has a particular love for stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

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