Joe Moody's 100th Super Rugby appearance will celebrate more than rugby, with the All Blacks prop auctioning off his special jersey for a cause close to his heart.
Moody, 32, will become the Crusaders' 19th centurion, when he takes the field against the Hurricanes on Sunday.
But the game jersey he wears is being auctioned off to raise funds for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand, honouring Moody's late father, Tony, who died last July.
"It is a special jersey for me, being the 100th game," Moody says. "But to share in that experience, I’ll be putting it up for auction for someone else to be able to share that.
“All the money from it is going towards prostate cancer. It's a bit of an issue that's close to me, seeing as I lost my dad to it last year.
“It's to raise awareness and raise funds for that going forward as well. He was my best mate and biggest fan as well, so it's tough that he's not here to be able to share that experience with me.
“At the same time, if we can raise a bit of awareness around it and some funds to go towards it as well, it'll be a bonus."
Moody's jersey auction has already passed $3000, closing on April 16.
The prop joins Dan Carter, Wyatt Crockett, Ryan Crotty, Andy Ellis, Corey Flynn, Owen Franks, Chris Jack, Leon MacDonald, Justin Marshall, Richie McCaw, Caleb Ralph, Kieran Read, Luke Romano, Greg Somerville, Jordan Taufua, Reuben Thorne, Matt Todd and Sam Whitelock as Crusaders centurions.
Joining that elite line-up has drawn praise from Crusaders coach Scott Robertson, who hails Moody's impact on the Super Rugby dynasty.
"Joe is a special character,” Robertson says. “You'd have known him and seen how he plays.
“He plays on the edge, he's a big powerful man. He's unique to world rugby, what he brings - he's quick, he can be skilful and he can also play on the line - the limit - and that's what we love about him.
"When he's on, he's world class."
And as Moody himself says, that’s not a bad list to be on.
"Looking at the characters that are up there on the board for us, that have played 100 games, they're all pretty special men, pretty special characters and pretty awesome players.
"It's awesome to be joining that club."
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