Hurricanes blow through Wairarapa

Ahead of the 2024 Super Rugby season, the Wellington-based Hurricanes rugby team stopped off at Pāpāwai Marae yesterday en route to Hawke’s Bay as part of their aim to connect with local communities. Over 50 players from the Hurricanes squad – including Masterton-born Brad Shields – took the opportunity to brush up on the history of Wairarapa and Pāpāwai Marae, where the Māori parliament was held in the 1800s and which is considered one of the most important marae in New Zealand. Afterwards, the team travelled north to Petāne marae in Bay View, Hawke’s Bay, to help with post-Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up and restoration efforts. The Hurricanes’ first official game of the 2024 season will be in Perth on February 23 against Western Force.