Waingawa win Rippa rugby final

It was an all-Masterton affair in the year 7 and 8 final of the Wairarapa-Bush Rugby Union's rippa rugby competition last week.

Masterton Intermediate Waingawa beat Waiohone 8-5 to claim the major spoils.

Other schools to make it to the finals of this grade were Carterton, Tinui, Tuturumuri and Martinborough.

Tuturumuri were included as the result of a narrow loss to Martinborough in the South Wairarapa cluster final - a fantastic achievement for a school with a roll of 23 students.

WBRFU community rugby co-ordinator Doug Bracewell said the union had been well served by the staff employed to deliver the rippa rugby programme to Wairarapa schools.

Matt O'Connor, Tipi Haira, Niko Dahlberg and Jake Ross had all received wonderful feedback from the schools. Comments had included: "It is great to have father figures engaging with our students, the students really look forward to their visits.".

Bracewell said a pre-school rippa tourney involving 10 pre-school centres was being held in Carterton next term.

To assist with this event 30 leaders from St Mary's, Carterton and Southend have been selected by the respective schools to help in the organisational aspects. WBRFU staff had taken them through a coaching and referee programme.

"The role of the leaders is to referee games and to provide and support direction for the many 3 and 4-year-olds who will taking their first steps to All Blacks status," Bracewell said.