Former All Black Taine Randell will be New Zealand First’s candidate in the Hawke’s Bay electorate of Tukituki.

The Herald understands Randell’s candidacy was set to be announced at a NZ First public meeting in Hastings on Sunday, which was cancelled ahead of Cyclone Vaianu hitting the region.

The Herald has attempted to contact Randell about his candidacy.

Randell, a former student of Hastings school Lindisfarne, captained the All Blacks in 22 of his 51 tests.

He was also a favourite in the south having appeared 77 times for the Highlanders and playing 83 games for the Otago province, leading the team to the first NPC division title in 1998.

The Tukituki electorate, which includes Hastings, Havelock North and parts of Central Hawke’s Bay, was won in 2023 by National MP Catherine Wedd, who beat Labour’s Anna Lorck by about 10,000 votes.

Lorck had secured the seat in 2020 amid the surge in support for Labour which helped the party achieve a parliamentary majority.

Labour is yet to confirm its Tukituki candidate for the upcoming election.

Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.