The 2022 Rising Stars Championship for netball and rugby got off to an exciting start with almost 650 players from 57 primary and secondary schools’ teams across Rarotonga competing.

The weekly event being held at Raemaru Park in Arorangi started with the official ceremony on Friday where participating teams performed haka before the netball and rugby matches kicked off.

The opening round of matches saw some close battles in both netball and rugby in almost all the grades.

The objectives of the annual Rising Stars Championship are to focus on providing opportunities for talented local juniors to develop their skills, to create a professional tournament to attract young athletes to the sport, to bring rugby and netball interest back into the communities to foster grassroots support, and to develop and strengthen local-based athletes for selection into the national squad.

The tournament also promotes healthy living and being sugar free/fizz free, smoke free, and green alongside core values of discipline, respect, integrity, passion and solidarity.

Results

Netball

Court 1 - PS 11U: Apii Nikao Dark Green 3-0 Apii Nikao White, Takitumu 2-6 Apii Rutaki, Apii Avarua Red 2-6 Apii Nikao Green, Apii Arorangi 3-2 Apii Nikao Dark Green, Apii Avarua Blue 2-0 Apii Nikao Grey, St Joseph’s 6-1 Te Uki Ou White; Court 2- PS 11U: Apii Nikao Grey 0-9 Apii Arorangi, Te Uki Ou White 1-1 Apii Avarua Blue, Imanuela Akatemia 0-11 St Joseph’s, Apii Rutaki 3-4 Apii Nikao White, Apii Nikao Green 16-0 Takitumu, Imanuela Akatemia 0-9 Apii Avarua Red; Te Uki Ou BLUE 1-9 Apii Nikao Dark Green, Apii Avarua Red 11-3 Apii Nikao Green, Apii Arorangi 10-0 Imanuela Akatemia, Apii Avarua Blue 2-4 Nukutere College, Apii Nikao Dark Green 1-6 Apii Avarua Blue, Apii Nikao Green 7-0 Te Uki Ou Blue, Imanuela Akatemia 0-10 Te Uki Ou White, Nukutere College 5-17 Apii Avarua Red, Te Uki Ou White 5-0 Apii Arorangi; Rising Stars 13U Secondary – Nukutere College 2-23 Tereora College - Tiare Maori, Tereora College - Tiare Taina – Bye; Rising Stars 15U Secondary – Nukutere College 26-3 Tereora College - Poe Parau, Titikaveka College 0-22 Tereora College - Poe Tiare.

Rugby

11U Avarua Red 20-5 Imanuela, Avarua Blue 15-10 St. Joseph’s, 11U Te Uki Ou White 15-0 Rutaki, Takitumu 10-15 Arorangi, 11U Nikao Green 25-5 Avarua Red, Avarua Red 35-5 Nikao Green, 13U Avarua Blue 45-0 Te Uki Ou Blue. Nukutere 15-10 Imanuela, 13U Arorangi 5-15 Titikaveka, 13U Nukutere Nil-31 Tereora 1; Rugby 7s – 15U Titikaveka 5-14 Tereora 2, 13U Tereora 1 (Red) 36-5 Tereora 2 (Yellow), 15U Nukutere 24-0 Tereora 1.