The former All Black Leicester Rutledge has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to rugby and the Southland community.
Rutledge played 113 games for Southland between 1972 and 1983 and 13 tests for the All Blacks from 1978 to 1980.
He coached the Southland team for two years and has been an administrator in local rugby for decades through his club Wright's Bush.
Rutledge became President of Southland Rugby Union in 2020 and is a life member of Southland rugby.
He's been the face of the Southland Bowel Screening programme with the Southern District Health Board and regularly drives the Myross Bush school bus
He's also developed Match-Fit, a basic rugby fitness programme for older men in Bluff facing health issues.
Leicester Rutledge. Photo: Photosport
Alan Whiteman MNZM
Alan Whiteman has also been made a Member of the New Zealand of Meruit, honoured for over 50 years of service to fullbore target rifle shooting
Whiteman began as a target marker on the Seddon Range in 1965, serving as a participant, manager, coach, volunteer and administrator at local, national and international levels.
He has represented Wellington on 20 occasions at national competitions and was a member of the New Zealand Team at the 1995 Long Range World Championship.
He has been a key figure with the Upper Hutt Rifle Club, (now the Trentham Rifle Club) carrying out almost every role in the club for 50 years, providing safe and proper use of firearms.
Whiteman is also a three time winner of the Ballinger Belt.
He was integral in the reinstating of the Seddon Shooting Range after it had been closed for safety reasons in 2000, and worked with the New Zealand Defence Force, planners, range designers to ensure the Wellington region could continue to use the range.
He is a former Chair of the National Rifle Association and was appointed as a Life Member in 2012.
-RNZ
