GREAT FUN: The Rippa rugby world cup for girls is on next week at Blake Park.PHOTO/FILE
GREAT FUN: The Rippa rugby world cup for girls is on next week at Blake Park.PHOTO/FILE
More than 1500 kids in two grades (years 3-4 and years 5-6) will be involved in the four Rippa Rugby World Cup tournaments in the coming weeks.
These tournaments are a chance for many girls to take their first steps in playing rugby. Each team must have at least threegirls for the regional tournaments and for the Baywide and NZR national tournament each team must have five girls and five boys.
The winner of the year 5-6 competition will represent the region at the national tournament in Wellington.
Last year Opotiki Primary School represented Bay of Plenty, winning through to the semifinal stage before being narrowly beaten by the eventual winners Auckland.
The Western Bay of Plenty tournament will be special as it preceded the NZ Under-20 team's warm-up game against the Chiefs Development at Blake Park prior to their participation in the Junior World Cup in Auckland.
Johan Bardoul, Central BOP regional rugby administrator for Bay of Plenty Rugby, says the increase in participants in Rippa Rugby has been huge.
"The tournaments so far this year have created a taste tester for the world cup. The teams have showed great enthusiasm and the kids are really looking forward to the event."
