New league man has hands full

A Far North ex-pat who returned home last year has secured the role of Far North development officer for Rugby League Northland (RLN).

Taking up the role last season held by Tane Kowhai, Paparangi Pirini will be in charge of promoting and developing the youth game from Kawakawa to Kaitaia and everywhere in between according RLN GM, Alex Smits, who was showing his new development officer around the traps last week.

Smits said Pirini's role will see him working in schools and helping develop clubs including delivering the Leadership through League programme in Kaitaia College and Te Rangi Aniwaniwa and also establishing the afterschool mini mod competition in Kaitaia.

"The Mid to Far North is very important in the development of rugby league, Paparangi is a young guy with great enthusiasm and I'm sure that he will make an impact," said Smits.

Paparangi's playing history began in his college days at Wesley College. Although originally a rugby union player, he followed this up with a league career, playing for Waitara Bears (Taranaki), Western Institute of Technology, Hamilton College Old Boys, and Redcliffe Dolphins (Brisbane).

Last year, Pirini returned home and played for the infamous Hokianga Pioneers who reached the semi finals of the provincial championships Originally from Kaikohe in Northland, Pirini said he was happy to be back in the North after the past five years of moving around, studying and following league.

"I'm excited to be able to be in a position to work in the development of the game of rugby league throughout the Northland communities and helping our young people be more exposed to the 13-man game."

A qualified personal trainer and nutritionist, Pirini also noted he was keen to stay within the health/ fitness education industry. With a general interest in youth education, he expressed a passion to incorporate these interests into the 13-man game in Northland.

But never mind all that, right now, Pirini has his hands well full coming to grips with the demands of his new job. He was part of a skills session delivered to all 250 children at Kaitaia Primary last week, and helped man the Rugby League Northland stand at the Whanau Fun Fest and Sports Expo in Kaikohe on Saturday morning. He was expected back in Kaitaia this Thursday to oversee a coaching course being held for Year 13 students and above at Te Rangi Aniwaniwa.

Schoolboy league

In other league news, the 2014 NorthTec Adam Blair Trophy kicked off last Wednesday and saw the following results.

North Zone: Whangaroa College 30 Te Rangi Aniwaniwa (incorporating ALS and TAipa AS) 8, Northland College 16 Okaihau College 24; South Zone: Kamo High 22 Tikipunga High 22, WBHS 66 Dargaville 6; Crossover match (e.g. bye team from each zone playing each other): Bay of Islands College 30 Kaitaia College 0 (default).

The draw for the provincial secondary schoolboy tournament being played tomorrow afternoon is, North: Okaihau v Whangaroa in Okaihau at 4pm, Kaitaia College v Aniwa/ ALS/ Taipa on Kaitaia top fields at 4.30pm; South: Dargaville v Kamo at 4pm, Tikipunga v BOIC at 4pm, and crossover, Northland College v WBHS in Kaikohe at 5pm.