Stu Wilson entertains at rugby club prizegiving
Trophy winners, left, Aaron Griffiths (MVP) and Brian Harris (Administrator of the Year) flank guest speaker Stu Wilson. Photo: Neil Wilson.
Former All Black and Sky television rugby comments man Stu Wilson proved to be a hard-case and adept after-dinner entertainer at last week’s Takaka Rugby Club prizegiving.
Members, sponsors and supporters of the rugby club and its associated netball club gathered to mark the end of another season and to award trophies to those who had excelled.
Stu regaled the near-capacity crowd with tall stories—some allegedly true—involving himself and other former famous players. His jokes negotiated the tightrope between guaranteed inoffensiveness that risks being tame and broad bawdiness that risks being offensive.
Stu’s management role in Pub Charity – a major gaming machine owner – had brought him to Takaka previously and he was persuaded to officiate at the club’s wind-up. His fee was simply a night out. This makes him a rare beast indeed on the former-player after-dinner speaking circuit.
In thanking him and presenting him with a Takaka RFC tie, club spokesman Dean Lund told Stu that Takaka people would be expecting to see the tie on upcoming SKY rugby broadcasts.
“I’ll do what I can,” said Stu. Neil Wilson
