Sevens: Te Puna finishes in top three at national club 7s tournament in Auckland

Te Puna's winning sevens squad after taking out the Baywide Club 7s tournament in November. Photo / File

Te Puna Rugby Football Club can boast having one of the top three club sevens teams in the country after placing third at the national club 7s tournament in Auckland.

The local club represented the Bay of Plenty at the 2019 New Zealand National Club 7s Middlesex County Wavell Wakefield Cup on Saturday and Sunday after taking out the Premier Men's division of the 2018 Baywide Club Sevens tournament in November.

The local side made it through to the semifinals of the weekend's tournament, hosted by Eden Rugby Club at Mt Roskill's Fearon Park, after winning their quarterfinal against Northcote 31-7 on Sunday.

They were unable to take the win in their semifinal against Northern United, going down 12-7 but coach Aidan Kuka said they were "extremely happy" with their result.

"We finished the tournament in third place," Kuka said.

It adds to the success of the club at the weekend, having taken out the Open Men's division of the inaugural Te Puna 10s Rugby Tournament at Maramatanga Park on Saturday.

Kuka said he was very proud of the club for their efforts at the weekend, adding to the excitement building around their 100 year celebrations this year.

"It's a great way to start the year, very happy," he said.

The last time the club represented the Bay at the national Club 7s tournament was in 2015, and once before in 2014. He says the goal is to continue do the same next year and beyond.

This weekend the club will compete in the Arataki Rugby 10s tournament on Saturday before they begin to focus on their 15s season from next week.