North Harbour’s Willow Park Primary will represent Fiji at the Rippa Rugby World Cup next week when 200 Rippa Rugby stars from around New Zealand arrive in the capital.
Twenty schools, each representing teams competing at Rugby World Cup 2015, will take to the field in the two-day tournament.
General Manger Community and Provincial Union Rugby, Brent Anderson said the Rippa Rugby World Cup is a fantastic way for the kids to represent their communities and at the same time feel part of the Rugby World Cup in the United Kingdom.
“With the Rugby World Cup taking place on the other side of the world and in a different time zone we want to make sure Kiwi kids feel involved and the rippa tournament is a fun way to do this.”
“The 2011 Rippa World Cup was won by the school sporting the New Zealand theme, let’s hope we can repeat that same omen this time around.”
Anderson said it was an exciting opportunity for the players to represent their schools and provinces as this is the first time many of them will have competed at a national tournament.
“It’s a wonderful event for these kids. Aside from the fun they will be having they will be trying their best to win the tournament. After all they are playing for their school and their communities.
“They have worked hard to be here and you never know, there may be future All Blacks and Black Ferns among the teams.”
Since the national rippa rugby tournament began in 2011 it has grown every year with over 600 schools playing in competitions to make final selections for their provinces.
The Year Six teams are made up of five boys and five girls (aged 10 and 11) who qualified from regional tournaments earlier in the year.
“We hope North Harbour will get behind them as they compete for the national title. A whole group of kids and teachers have worked really hard to get them to Wellington.”
Anderson said the tournament is one of the few that sees smaller rural areas to compete against larger schools because the mixed team element allows for the smaller areas to be competitive.Rippa Rugby is a safe, non-contact form of rugby aimed at primary school aged children where instead of tackling, players rip velcro-fastened tags off each other's waists. The games are seven minutes each way.
The tournament is taking place with the support of New Zealand Community Trust and New Zealand Rugby’s Principal Partner adidas.
Tournament details
Monday 14 September
Tuesday 15 September
Participating Teams
POOL A
Counties Manukau – Roscommon School Australia
King Country – Kura o Whakarewa Wales
South Canterbury – Pleasant Point Primary England
North Harbour – Willow Park Primary Fiji
Taranaki – St Joseph’s School Uruguay
POOL B
Canterbury - Hillview Christian School Samoa
Auckland – Redoubt North Primary School Japan
Tasman – Richmond School USA
Poverty Bay – Te Wharau School South Africa
Wanganui – Hunterville School Scotland
POOL C
Bay of Plenty – Te Akau ki Papamoa New Zealand
Waikato – Nawton School Georgia
Southland – West Gore School Argentina
West Coast – Paroa School Tonga
Horowhenua Kapiti – Waitohu School Namibia
POOL D
Hawkes Bay – Tiaho School Ireland
Northland – Matauri Bay School Canada
Otago – Arrowtown School France
Manawatu – College Street Normal School Italy
Wellington – Khandallah School Romania
For further information contact:
Meredith Keys
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