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Kingsway Primary School’s Thomas Tasker dodges tackles during a game against the Stella Maris boys’ team.
Day one of North Harbour Rugby’s Rippa tournament saw 11 primary schools from the Hibiscus Coast and wider Rodney get stuck into the sport at the Silverdale Rugby Club on Thursday, June 25.
The tournament had a focus on fun and participation this year, so, for the first time, there was no scoring or overall winner.
“This is a junior rugby strategy based on studies done by New Zealand Rugby, which found that kids don’t need competitiveness at this young age,” says North Harbour Rugby’s junior rugby manager Jacob Corbett.
Jacob says that while the adoption of this development strategy has had mixed reviews from parents and schools, it has resulted in higher participation at junior rugby festivals and an increase in junior team enrolments.
Participants, who are in Years 3 to 6, also got the opportunity to show off their singing and dancing skills during the “Harbour Jamz” party in between games.
The event has another round on Thursday, August 22, also at Silverdale.
