Kiwifruit growers will square off against politicians this weekend, in a rugby fundraising match in Whakatāne.
The game - which has faced a number of delays and postponements due to COVID-19 - will raise money for victims of the White Island/Whakaari tragedy.
The match will pit the Kiwifruit Industry Invitational Team against the New Zealand Parliamentary Rugby Team, with politicians such as Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor and Labour MP Kieran McAnulty taking the field.
Zespri's director of external relations Michael Fox said it's the first time the industry has put a team together.
He told RNZ there was a "bit of nerves on both sides" in the lead-up to the match but he was confident the kiwifruit growers would do well as they "tend to come out on top when the going gets tough".
The match will kick off at 2:15pm on Saturday at Rugby Park, Whakatāne.
Entry will be by gold coin donation and all proceeds will go to supporting the victims, families and first responders affected by the 2019 Whakaari/White Island tragedy.
