Waikite Rugby had a valuable preseason hit-out against Argentina's Club Atletico y Progresso de Brandsen. Photo / Supplied
Waikite Rugby had a valuable preseason hit-out against Argentina's Club Atletico y Progresso de Brandsen. Photo / Supplied
It's not every Thursday night you can go down to Waikite's home ground on Bellvue Rd and watch them go up against an international side, but that was the case this week.
A visiting delegation from Argentina's Club Atletico y Progresso de Brandsen, comprising 79 people, is touring New Zealand and Australia - and while in Rotorua they took part in an International Rugby Festival.
The Argentinian club had two teams, who played against Waikite's premier and reserve sides. The event, organised by Toro Sports Management, served as a valuable preseason hit-out for Waikite ahead of their Baywide Division 1 campaign as well as a unique cultural experience for the Argentinians who were welcomed with a powhiri and enjoyed hangi after the game.
Waikite Rugby Club president John Richardson said although Waikite were beaten convincingly in both games it was "a fantastic night".
"Those Argentinian teams are very, very good. They're fit and well coached, but it was our first game of the year and being a Thursday night we had a few guys out with work and other commitments.
"Forty minutes of rugby, hard rugby, definitely has a lot of positives and value in it. Most of the people involved in the night thought it was fantastic. International rugby in Koutu on a Thursday night, by anyone's measure, is fantastic. They absolutely loved it."
Richardson said the club was building an ongoing relationship with Toro Sports Management, which specialises in tours and recruitment.
"We have two international players arriving in the next few weeks, organised through Toro Sports. We've got a hooker coming from South Africa and a prop coming out from Argentina to play for us," he said.
Waikite and Club Atletico y Progresso de Brandsen contest a lineout. Photo / Supplied
"On Monday we're also making applications for six Fijian boys to come and play for us. We went to Fiji in December and formed a relationship with a club there, so we're looking to have eight international players this season to complement the 30-odd players we've got already."
He said with fewer young players coming through the school system and joining local clubs, international recruitment was an important part of striving for success.
"Our club is 120 years old in 2021, so this is a three-year plan around fostering ongoing relationships with these overseas players.
"I've been involved with the club all my life and 20 years ago we had no problem getting local players. What happens now is the best players in school rugby go straight into Super Rugby set ups and end up in Hamilton and the rest of the country.
"Our club have been slow to shift to this, but we're seeing the value pretty quickly."
Toro Sports Management chief executive Gabriel Morales said it was an enjoyable night for all involved.
"They served a hangi to the visitors which was prepared in a steam out of Ohinemutu. They also served smoked trout which blew the visitors' minds away. The clubs exchanged presents and the acknowledgements were emotional. The top Waikite squad did a haka which was a fabulous way of finishing the night.
"In the end a lot of the Argentinians exchanged jerseys with Waikite and sang loud their songs as a sign of happiness. There were 365 people-plus during the games and over 150 hangi served," Morales said.
"Rotorua is a tourism mecca and we want to mobilise the rugby community to build strength and unity. Our sports is based in value and it is our vision to restore the mana within our communities to celebrate our culture and play top rugby at the highest level."
