Horowhenua-Kapiti underway in Rippa Rugby Championship
Levin East School are part of more than 200 young Rippa Rugby players from New Zealand taking part the Rippa Rugby Championship 2012, which got underway in Wellington today.
Twenty teams of Year Five and Six primary schools boys and girls are representing their local province, having qualified from 26 provincial qualifying tournaments involving 600 teams nationwide.
NZRU General Manager Community and Provincial Union Rugby Brent Anderson said the national tournament recognised the increasing popularity of Rippa Rugby and provided children with an incredible goal to aim for.
“The popularity of Rippa Rugby has grown year on year since being introduced, with 78,500 kids registered to play in 2012 – 14 per cent more than in 2011.
“This tournament is a once in a lifetime experience for New Zealand kids; many of whom haven’t travelled beyond their province, to participate in their very own Provincial Championship, alongside the ITM Cup and Heartland Championship, while also making a raft of new friendships and having heaps of fun.”
Teams play in four pools, then quarter-finals, semi-finals, bronze-final and final (similar to Rugby World Cup format)
Whau Valley Primary School from Whangarei won the Rippa World Cup 2011 representing New Zealand, while five teams from the Rippa World Cup have qualified for The Rippa Rugby Championship 2012 (Lepperton (Taranaki), Arrowtown (Otago), Roscommon (Counties Manukau), Riverdale (Manawatu) and Richmond (Tasman.
Rippa Rugby is a popular, safe, non-contact form of rugby aimed at primary school aged children where instead of tackling, players rip velcro-fastened tags off each other’s waists.
Match Schedule – Monday 17 September
|
Time |
Pool A |
Pool B |
Pool C |
Pool D |
|
9.00am |
Waikato v Poverty Bay |
Wellington v Horowhenua Kapiti |
Wanganui v Thames Valley |
Buller v North Otago |
|
9.20am |
Hawke’s Bay v Otago |
Manawatu v Southland |
North Harbour v Taranaki |
Northland v Tasman |
|
9.40am |
Poverty Bay v Auckland |
Horowhenua Kapiti v Bay of Plenty |
Thames Valley v Canterbury |
North Otago v Counties Manukau |
|
10.00am |
Waikato v Otago |
Wellington v Southland |
Wanganui v Taranaki |
Buller v Tasman |
|
10.20am |
Hawke’s Bay v Auckland |
Manawatu v Bay of Plenty |
North Harbour v Canterbury |
Northland v Counties Manukau |
|
10.40am |
Poverty Bay v Otago |
Horowhenua Kapiti v Southland |
Thames Valley v Taranaki |
North Otago v Tasman |
|
11.00am |
Waikato v Hawke’s Bay |
Wellington v Manawatu |
Wanganui v North Harbour |
Buller v Northland |
|
11.20am |
Auckland v Otago |
Bay of Plenty v Southland |
Canterbury v Taranaki |
Counties Manukau v Tasman |
|
11.40am |
Hawke’s v Poverty Bay |
Manawatu v Horowhenua Kapiti |
North Harbour v Thames Valley |
Northland v North Otago |
|
12.00pm |
Waikato v Auckland |
Wellington v Bay Of Plenty |
Wanganui v Canterbury |
Buller v Counties Manukau |