By 1news.co.nz and is republished with permission.
Former All Blacks coaches Sir Graham Henry and Wayne Smith have come together to help the relief efforts in the Kingdom.
Henry told 1News the pair have interests in Tonga and wanted to help.
“We’re shareholders in a company called Anga’ofa Timber which is based in Tonga,” Henry said.
“We just feel that we need to try to assist as much as we can.”
Smith added they felt the need to help out for what the small nation has done for them too.
“Tongan rugby players have helped build our careers really,” Smith said.
“So we’re trying to get more affordable building supplies over to Tonga.”
But doing that is a problem in its own right.
Another All Blacks great and current chair of new Pacific Super Rugby franchise Moana Pasifika – Sir Michael Jones – has supplied a container and shipping to head to Tonga after his club raised $25,000 last week with their first pre-season game against the Chiefs behind closed doors in Auckland.
Companies such as Watties are now helping fill it with non-perishables and other goods, Smith said.
“The Chiefs have given us heaps of jerseys and gear, raise the morale a little bit in schools,” he said.
“Ted got a whole lot of rugby balls from Auckland Rugby too.”
Forklift drivers worked for free on Thursday to load the container, but Anahila Kanongata’a-Suisuiki from Aotearoa Tonga Relief said there’s a shortage of forklifts in Nukualofa.
“We need more,” Kanongata’a-Suisuiki said.
“[If anyone’s got a spare forklift], we’ll put it in a container it will go Tonga.”
