Two former international rugby fullbacks, Christian Cullen and Glenn Metcalfe, spoke at a Te Awamutu Sports fundraiser breakfast auction on Sunday.
Former Scotland fullback Glenn Metcalfe (left) with former All Black Christian Cullen at Te Awamutu Sports. Photo: Supplied
The event was held to raise funds for the senior rugby trip to the Scotland-based Melrose Sevens tournament in May.
Te Awamutu Sports have a 33-year history with the historic Melrose club. Several players have represented both clubs across that time.
Former King Country rep Matthew Towers (standing) is part of the Te Awamutu Sports Melrose Sevens squad. Photo: Jesse Wood
The Te Awamutu team will compete in the unique knockout tournament under the guidance of former Samoan sevens representative Sam Gibbens and technical advisor David Fox – one of the 1990s Sports players who journeyed to Melrose.
Cullen, 49, was the draw card for the breakfast event, while Metcalfe, 54, is a Te Awamutu College alumnus with many ties to the area.
Paraparaumu-born Cullen played for the All Blacks from 1996-2002 and Metcalfe played for Scotland from 1998-2003.
Coach Sam Gibbens is introduced to the crowd by MC and technical advisor David Fox. Photo: Jesse Wood
The two former players crossed paths at provincial level in 1995, with Cullen representing Manawatū and Metcalfe on the wing for Waikato.
They also met on the international field and in European club rugby – Munster v Castres.
Here they were again under the same roof almost two decades later, in Te Awamutu.
Te Awamutu Sport players, including former King Country Rams loose forward Matthew Towers and Waikato Sevens player Logan “Woody” Karl, served the breakfast and helped with the auctions.
A silent auction was held before the event and a group of winning bidders got to play a round at Te Awamutu Golf Club with Cullen after the meal.
The community showed their support of the club, with a full house of attendees and lots of interest in auction items.
Te Awamutu Sports player Queyst Michael-Tapu holds up one of the signed All Blacks jerseys donated by Ian Foster. Photo: Jesse Wood
Both speakers shared about loss and spoke in depth about their careers.
They share the commonality of wanting to give back and help people in need.
Recently, Cullen was inspired to go on Celebrity Treasure Island, although it wasn’t his cup of tea.
He did this to raise funds for charity after the death of his sister-in-law from a brain tumour.
Metcalfe is a big ambassador of the Doddie Weir Foundation which aims to raise funds for motoneuron disease research.
Weir was his longtime friend and Scotland teammate who died with the illness in 2022.
Property Brokers Waikato regional manager Chris Moore (left) interviews Christian Cullen. Photo: Jesse Wood
Metcalfe also spoke about his former Scotland teammate Bryan Redpath.
Redpath was a former Te Awamutu Sports representative who Metcalfe described as quite the prankster.
Auction items included a 2025 signed Crusaders shirt donated by Te Awamutu Sports and Crusaders rep Taha Kemara; a Christian Cullen signed 2003 Hurricanes jersey; signed 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cup shirts donated by Te Awamutu Sports legend and former All Black coach Ian Foster; a signed 1999 Scotland Five Nations winners jersey donated by Mike and Tanja Allen; firewood and self-care packs.
The 1999 Scotland jersey, originally from Metcalfe, had a heartwarming story attached to it.
“Nearly 20 years ago I offered a signed Scotland rugby jersey from the 1999 Five Nations champion team as an auction item at a Lions club fundraiser,” Metcalfe said.
“A lovely man by the name of Dick Allen had bid and won it. He clearly looked after it very well for many years.
“Sadly Dick passed away, then his son Mike and daughter-in-law Tanja became custodians of the jersey, They paid it forward and offered it as an item for their local rugby club Te Awamutu Sports at a fundraiser to send a group of young men to the Melrose Sevens in Scotland this May.
“The jersey was a popular item and was won by my brother Ant.
“So, 26 years after I got my teammates to sign a jersey for me at Murrayfield it has travelled quite a few miles, created some smiles and raised a few dollars for some great causes. Now it’s back in the family.
“Dick would be proud.”
Some of the jerseys that were auctioned. The 1999 Scotland Five Nations winners’ jersey is third from right. Photo: Jesse Wood
