This story was originally posted on stuff.co.nz by Catherine Groenestein (Click here)

Taranaki All Black Scott Barrett was on a different kind of field on Thursday as he learned about his new role helping youngsters into the game.

Scott and his brothers Beauden and Jordie have become ambassadors for the Taranaki Community Rugby Trust, a charity that raises money for amateur rugby in the region through farming.

The honourary ambassadorships will see the three Barrett brothers encouraging young players into the sport that has given them so much.

ANDY JACKSON/STUFF

Taranaki All Black Scott Barrett is introduced in his new role as ambassador for the Taranaki Community Rugby Trust by founding trustee Ray Barron.

“We’re just so proud to have three of the Barrett boys on board as ambassadors of the trust,” founding trustee Ray Barron said.

“They all believe in the cause, they all came through the club at Rahotu and playing junior rugby, so to have them willing to support community rugby is huge.”

The trust, which is the only one of its type in New Zealand, is the envy of other regions, he said.

Through its two leased dairy farms at Manaia, it distributed $130,000 last year and aims to match that this year. It has provided more than $600,000 in total since 2008.

ANDY JACKSON/STUFF

This includes distributions to all clubs with junior teams, support for referees and the Colin Cooper Club Rugby Development Programme, through which eight club rugby development officers work alongside schools and clubs, providing 4800 hours of extra coaching.

“We are extremely grateful to our loyal supporters, Taranaki businesses and donors that provide services to our farming business and in particular to the owners of our lease farms, Beach Energy, Bill Johnson and Osflo,” Barron said.

Scott Barrett visited the trust’s farms on Thursday, which milk a total of 823 cows with a further 177 young heifers off-farm grazing.

He said the trust was a great initiative to support community rugby and the whole of Taranaki rugby, and he and his brothers were keen to help.

“Rugby is a big part of our lives. I’ve been particularly grateful for what it gave me as a kid, there was no barrier to being able to participate in sport,” he said.

“The Taranaki Community Rugby Trust is making that available for kids to get involved with sport, encouraging participation at the grassroots level. It’s awesome.”

The three will help promote the trust’s work and even turn up at the occasional game or training session in Taranaki when their schedules allow it, he said.

Last year there were 6000 players in rugby across the levels and this year’s target is 8000, rising to 10,000 in 2022, Taranaki Rugby operations manager Cole Brown said.

Many of the junior players were girls, and there are now five women’s teams in the club competition.

Article added: Monday 29 March 2021