Rugby: Step Up to help stop bullying

Steamers players were entertaining school kids yesterday ahead of the hard work that will begin tomorrow night when they take on North Harbour in the first game of the ITM Cup.

As part of the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union's role as supporters of Tauranga Safe City's Step Up anti-bullying campaign, players visited seven primary schools across the Western Bay of Plenty.

At Arataki School, two-time All Black Nathan Harris, prop Jeff Thwaites, winger Brynn Uriarau, lock Keepa Mewett and mascot Steamie spoke to an assembly about their rugby experiences and about the importance of being an upstander, not a bystander when experiencing bullying. Harris told the pupils that, if faced with a situation where they were being bullied, they should use their WITS - walk away, ignore, tell them to stop or seek help. "An upstander steps in to do something about it - and we can all be upstanders," he said.

Volcanix team named

Bay of Plenty Volcanix coach Pere Paul has named a wider training squad of 31 players to prepare for the 2015 Women's National Provincial Championship.

The squad, featuring Black Ferns' trialists Luka Connor and Hana Tapiata, has a mixture of youth and experience from across the Bay of Plenty. The squad will be reduced following the team's pre-season training and matches with the final squad announced ahead of their first match against Manawatu in Palmerston North on August 22.

Squad: Arataki :Kate Henwood (Opotiki College) Ereti Williams (Tauranga Girls' College) Angie Withers (Mt Maunganui College) Carmen Samson (Tauranga Girls' College) Davina Thompson (Edgecumbe College). Tauranga: Christa Irvine (Tauranga Girls' College) Melissa Jane (Tauranga Girls' College). Waikite: Ngakauiti Biel-Mair (Te Wharekura o Mauao) Luka Connor (Opotiki College) Christine Corbett (Fairfield College) Kaci James (Rotorua Lakes High School) Mystery McLean-Kora (Western Heights High School) Animei Skudder (Tauranga Girls' College) Autumn Stephens (Western Heights High School) Ramona Mitchell (Mangakino High School). Waimana: Nicole Cawthorn (Whakatane High School) Lauralee Hillman (Whakatane High School) Janie Kaafi (Opotiki College) Crystal Mika (Whakatane High School) Misty Mika (Whakatane High School) Mikyla Wardlaw (Whakatane High School).

Tokoroa: Holly Farrah (Forest View High School) Anisha Tehiko (Forest View High School) Chanelle Rata Makene (St Peters) Jamie Tautari (Tokoroa High School). Ngongotaha: Keri Jennings (Rotorua Girls' High School) Janina Khan (Western Heights High School) Maureen Malcolm (Western Heights High School) Lisa Mansell (Rotorua Lakes High School) Ngawaea Taia (Rotorua Girls' High School/Opotiki College) Hana Tapiata (Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Koutu) Tegan Wallace (John Paul College). Coach and Management: Coach: Pere Paul (Western Heights High School) assistant coach: Tamahau Palmer (Western Heights High School) resource coach: Lee Uerata (Nga Tapuwae College) resource coach: Ringo Edmonds (Piopio College) physio: Victor Malbon (Westlake High School) manager: Rachael Savage (Mt Maunganui College).