Taihape Area School are playing host to 350 of their country cousins this week at Springvale Stadium and the park for the 2015 edition of the annual New Zealand Area Schools tournament.
TAS are being assisted by Sport Whanganui and brought the tournament into the town because they needed the infrastructure for the seven codes that will be played over four days.
Rugby, netball, basketball, football, volleyball, Ki o Rahi and golf will all be contested by teams selected from area schools around the country.
Sport Whanganui regional sports director Clare Lynch said the representative squads are split into four regions " Northland, Central North Island, Top of the South and Bottom of the South.
Starting today, games will be played in round robins, with North Island and South Island teams chosen from the competitors on Thursday.