With Rugby Sevens set to become a Olympics in 2016, the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union are putting in place a strategy to become the leading Sevens province in the country. This Saturday (5 November 2011) the first step in the BOPRU Sevens pathway, will kick of with the Secondary Schools Rugby Sevens taking place at Western Heights High School.

Bay of Plenty Rugby Union Operations Manager Neil Alton said “Our aim is to increase participation in rugby through the development of the sevens pathway”. “There is a significant benefit to our clubs, of encouraging young people to either maintain or renew their relationship with clubs”. “This Saturdays inaugural secondary school sevens should help the transition from school to club, where historically many young players are lost to the game”.

There are three divisions with eight teams having entered the Under 18 division, four in the Under 15 and two entries in the Girls grade. Much of the interest will focus on the Under 18 division, where the Bay of Plenty winner will earn a berth in the Condor National Secondary School Sevens, to be played in Auckland on the 4th of December 2011.

The Condor 7s, which was established some twenty-five years ago, will bring together the regional winners from fourteen regions throughout the country in head to head encounters, to find the best secondary school 7s team in New Zealand. An added bonus, is the tournament team to selected from the best players on show, will train with Gordon Tietjens and the New Zealand 7s squad.

An added profile is added to the Bay of Plenty 7s tournament, with three former New Zealand Sevens players coaching school teams. Ross Martin and Hayden Reid who played in the National sevens team a decade ago alongside Jonah Lomu, have stepped up to the coaching ranks, along with Chad Tuoro.

5th November – BOP Secondary Schools Sevens tournament @ Western Heights High School

4th December – Condor National Secondary School Finals @ Auckland

For Further Information Contact
Neil Alton BOPRU Operations Manager 021 570 911
or
Chad Tuoro BOP 7’s Co-ordinator 027 275 5257