Fierce competition despite rain

LEADER OF THE PACK: Central (left) continued to dominate the 15-a-side rugby at the New Zealand Area Schools Tournament in Wanganui with a 49-nil hammering of Top of the South yesterday.070715WCBRCINT02

THE New Zealand Area Schools Tournament is getting down to the business end in all seven sporting codes after two days of play in Wanganui.

Hosted by Taihape Area School at Springvale Park and Stadium in Wanganui, because of the facilities, the tournament involves around 350 country students divided into four regions - Northland, Central North Island, Top of the South and Bottom of the South. The sporting codes include rugby, netball, basketball, football, volleyball, Ki o Rahi and golf.

By tomorrow, north and south teams will be selected to play each other in the morning and a New Zealand Area team will be selected to take on Wanganui High School teams in most codes apart from netball. The national area netball side will play an age-group Wanganui side in the afternoon.

The tournament is being organised in conjunction with Sport Whanganui.

Taihape Area School organiser Loni Martin said the tournament had run smoothly, with the rain failing to dampen the spirits of students.

Martin said regions were already beginning to emerge as dominant forces in several codes.

"Central appears to be dominating the rugby, while the Top of the South is standing out in football. The South of the South is leading the netball although, to be fair, there's only a point or two separating all four regions," Martin said yesterday.