Rippa of a day

Horouta Wananga team member Ayva-Laurel Maurirere can’t get past Mangapapa’s Kaitlyn Wells, who raises her arm in the air with a tag in her grip during the primary school Rippa Rugby tournament at Waikirikiri Park this week. Mangapapa’s MKids won the boys’ and girls’ titles.

The boys and girls teams from Mangapapa School reigned supreme in Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union’s Rippa Rugby’ tournament at Waikirikiri Park on Wednesday.

Mangapapa beat Awapuni in the boys’ final and Kaiti in the girls’ decider.

“It was a great day,” PBRFU junior development officer Mitchell Purvis said.

“We had a total of 511 year 5 and 6 youngsters and a couple of Year 4s playing during the day, representing 25 schools. It was great to see so many children wanting to play Rippa Rugby.

The skill level was outstanding, he said.

“We saw a massive lift in skill on last year, particularly among the girls.”