Watch the Sharp Blacks versus the Aussies!
Trans-Tasman rivalry heats up at Eden Park… butcher's style!
No, it’s not the All Blacks taking the field at Eden Park, it’s New Zealand’s national butchery team, the Hellers Sharp Blacks, showing off their speed and skill in a sausage-linking showdown against the Aussies.
On Saturday, the iconic stadium hosted a trans-Tasman clash like no other. Instead of rugby boots and lineouts, it was all about handmade sausages and fast hands. Representing New Zealand were Reuben Sharples, James Smith and Dan Klink, who faced off against their Australian counterparts in a high-energy sausage-making race.
The competition was presented by Hellers and Retail Meat NZ, with Eden Park’s famous All Blacks locker room specially updated for the occasion, complete with the Sharp Blacks’ names on display. To add to the atmosphere, the Australian team was beamed in live from Sydney and shown on the big screens inside the stadium.
This fun, light hearted battle means more than just bragging rights, it’s a warm-up for the World Butchers’ Challenge, taking place in Sacramento in just a few weeks. There, the Sharp Blacks will compete against 13 other nations on the global stage, putting New Zealand’s butchery talent to the ultimate test.
Keen to see how our boys fared in this trans-Tasman clash? Watch the action here.
2022 World Butchers' Challenge
In September, the Golden 1 Center, home of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings, will swap basketballs for butchers’ blocks as it hosts the eighth World Butchers’ Challenge.
Over three action-packed hours, each team will transform a side of beef, a side of pork, a whole lamb and five chickens into a spectacular themed display of value-added cuts. The competition demands precision in carving, boning and finishing, while also showcasing each team’s creativity, innovation and cultural flair.
At stake? The ultimate prize in butchery excellence, the coveted Friedr. Dick Golden Knife Trophy.
