Politics just got a whole lot dirtier | Manawatu-Wanganui News | Local News in Manawatu-Wanganui

Whanganui MP Chester Borrows and Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws will go
head to head next month - but not in the political arena.

The two men will lead teams in a very special rugby match on September 11.

A curtain-raiser for the Wanganui versus West Coast match at Cooks Gardens, the
match will see Mr Borrows' parliamentary rugby team take on Mr Laws' invitational
team, to raise money for Life To The Max.

At this stage the two men are keeping their teams under wraps. However, Mr Borrows
has promised MPs such as Hone Harawira, John Carter, Chris Tremaine and Shane Jones plus "a celebrity or two" in his team.

Mr Laws is appealing to local schools for their best talent, plus some former Wanganui players and "a couple of Samoan boys".

"I reckon the parliamentary team needs to be introduced to some big hits - that's where the Samoan boys come in."

Mr Laws said he intended to play no more than five minutes of the match.

"Then I'll go off injured. I haven't decided yet how I'll be injured."

Joking aside, Mr Borrows said the match would be a serious fundraiser. And fundraising is something the parliamentary team have become good at over 20 years.

The team's last match was  on the Chathams Islands, where they raised $6000 for a sports hall of fame.

"I think we should be able to raise $12,000 here in Wanganui," Mr Borrows said. The team raised $45,000 for charity last year.

Liz Hoskin from Life To The Max said her organisation felt  lucky to be the recipient
of the money raised at the match. "It's very exciting for us. It's not only financially
beneficial but it also raises our profile."

Life To The Max is a social work agency that runs in conjunction with the police. It works alongside families of young offenders.