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Xavier Cooper put on an impressive performance.
More than 150 rugby players travelled to Wellsford from five Northland sub-unions, including Bay of Islands and
Northern Wairoa, to compete in the Taniwha Cup last month.
The Northland junior rugby tournament was hosted by the Wellsford Rugby Football Club for the first time in seven years.
Junior players from the Wellsford and Otamatea rugby clubs were joined by Mahurangi College players for the Rodney-Otamatea sub union team, known as the Rhinos.
The highlight match was between the Rhinos and Northern Wairoa, both considered the underdogs of the competition.
Wellsford junior manager Alan Brierly said it was a “ding dong seesaw match that ended in a 33-all draw.”
He said in the second half the Rhinos had the momentum, but things took a dramatic turn when play was halted for a rescue helicopter to land on the pitch to treat a suspected broken leg. By the time play resumed, Northern Wairoa had picked themselves up and managed to even out the score.
Well-resourced teams with large populations such as Whangarei and Bay of Islands brought a “tough challenge”.
“But our players were really courageous with never-give-up attitudes,” Brierly said.
The Rhinos received the team sportsmanship trophy. While the Whangarei Bears won the tournament, with five wins from five games.
The tournament changed this year from being an under-13s to an under-16s competition. The under-57kg rule was also scrapped in favour of open weight.“That weight restriction could be difficult to meet with growing teenage boys. This year, players were able to eat normally.”
Visiting teams were billeted north of the regional boundary line in case of an unexpected change in Covid-19 alert levels.
he Kaiwaka Sports Complex was a back-up venue, and also the major sponsor of the tournament.
