Wairarapa schoolgirls to compete outside area

The Wairarapa Barbarians will participate in the Manawatu secondary schoolgirls rugby competition which gets under way next month.
A meeting organised by WBRFU development officer Lofty Stevenson to ascertain the interest in such a move, attracted enough support from players and parents to make it a viable proposition.
The proposal to play in Manawatu was engendered by the fact there is no secondary schools competition for girls run in the Wairarapa-Bush area ? apart from the 10-a-side tournament at the end of the season ? and because rules do not allow for the many junior female players from last season to play in boys teams.
Stevenson has already held two training sessions for those interested in joining the Barbarians, and he has been pleased with the numbers in attendance.
The next training run is scheduled for Tuesday, April 11 at Memorial Park, starting at 5pm, and is open to all college year nine to 13 girls who are considering making rugby part of their winter sporting programme.
The Barbarians name is being used because the team will have no affiliations with any one club or college and no fixed location.
However, their players will be available for the Wairarapa-Bush representative ssecondary schoolgirls team.
It is intended the team will play in an orange and black strip, and all colleges and clubs in the Wairarapa-Bush will be contacted to see if they will be prepared to host the Barbarians for their home games, as well as for trainings.