MICHELLE & MARTY'S MAGIC ENGAGEMENT

After a surprise proposal, the Highlanders rugby star and the TVNZ reporter share their romantic love story

- Kelly Bertrand

Love was definitely in the air the night Highlanders rugby legend Marty Banks and TVNZ sports reporter Michelle Prendiville first met - it just wasn't supposed to be with each other.

That's hard to imagine as Woman's Day catches up with the blissfully happy, newly engaged couple, but their enduring love story didn't start as you'd expect. In fact, the pair met while they accompanied friends on a first date.

"I was definitely surprised to be meeting the Marty Banks," laughs Michelle, 28, thinking back to the night when she first laid eyes on Southland rugby star Marty in an Auckland bar in 2018.

"It really was just fate. Both of our friends didn't want to go by themselves to the date, so they convinced us to come along. But from the moment we first spoke, Marty caught my attention with some flirtatious banter."

A few days later, Michelle received an Instagram request from Marty, 34, who had mustered up the courage to ask Michelle on a date of their own.

"I was nervous and excited," she recalls. "There was just something about him I really liked. I knew I wanted to know more, so we met up for a drink before Marty had to leave for his next rugby contract in Japan."

And despite the fact Michelle was almost an hour late Marty jokes, "It was the beers and beef sliders that kept me there!" the pair went on to have a great night.

"His flirting was much better!" Michelle grins. "By the end of it, I knew there was a spark."

The couple kept messaging while Marty was playing in Japan and Michelle embarked on her journalism career in Auckland, as well as representing Midlands in the National Hockey League. Eventually, they realised they'd fallen for each other and decided to become official in November 2018.