North Island Secondary School Sevens this weekend in Rotorua

This Friday and Saturday Rotorua will be treated to an abundance of secondary schools sevens rugby at the North Island Secondary Schools Sevens at Rotorua International Stadium.

Now an established Olympic Sport, the growth of sevens rugby is prevalent. Bay of Plenty Rugby Union is excited to again host this tournament show casing the future stars of New Zealand Sevens and Olympians.

This year there are twelve Under 15 boys’ teams with five making up the Under 15 boys’ open grade and seven teams forming the Under 15 boys’ co-ed grade. Eleven U15 girls’ teams, fourteen Under 19 girls’ teams’ with five teams competing in the Under 19 development grade and nine in the Under 19 open grade. It is guaranteed these two days will be packed with fast running and flowing rugby to keep locals and visitors entertained.

An added incentive will be the presence of the NZ Sevens talent identification team on finals day.

New title holders will be crowned for the Under 15 boys’ and Under 15 girls’ grade, with current title holders Rotorua Boys’ High School not in attendance, however Tauranga Girls’ College are back to defend their Under 19 girls title in a tough grade with former champions Hamilton Girls and Feilding also in the hunt to retake their former title. The addition of an Under 19 girl’s development grade to the tournament for the first time is a reflection of the growth in girl’s rugby nationally. It is guaranteed to be an enjoyable two days as these teams can expect a tough challenge for their title.

Tournament Director Ian Parata says, “This is a great tournament and the start of an Olympic journey for some. I am again looking forward to running this tournament. The talent that we will have on display will be fantastic to watch and to see the growth in these young athletes skill set will provide plenty of excitement for spectators. We are confident this tournament will continue to be a high quality experience for all involved.

NZSSSC U15 Boys and U15 & U19 Girls 7’s Tournament Details:

Date: Friday 31st March and Saturday 1 April 2017
Time: 10:00am – 5:00pm
Venue: Rotorua International Stadium
Draw and results: click here