April 21, 2023
Footy show spreads health message
Rugby league legend Tawera Nikau says the new season of Match Fit is inspiring viewers to improve their own health.
The focus has switched from rugby to rugby league – with Nikau and former Kiwi team-mate Reuben Wiki fronting the series, which follows veteran players preparing for a return match with a similar Australian team.
He says with ex-Kiwis like Jerry Seuseu, Clinton Toopi, Ali Lauiti’iti and Lesley Vainikolo in the show – it’s had a huge impact on Polynesian communities.
“We know that Māori and Pasifika are at the wrong end of the statistics for our health and wellbeing – diabetes, heart disease, heart attacks. There a whole lot of different things that are happening for our whanau and for the boys to come on the show and be open and vulnerable and share the challenges and the things that they’ve been through, it’s very inspirational,” he says.
Tawera Nikau laughs off viewer concerns they’ve been too hard on the 50 plus participants, and he says they’ve loved being back together – and the pain is worth the gain.