Canadian team here for rugby

The first rugby union match of the season will be played today between a local combined Avatiu and Tupapa under 16 team and the touring Foothill Lions club from Canada.

The visiting team is the first to tour the island and despite travelling for over 24 hours to reach Rarotonga – the young men and their management team are keen to hit the rugby field.

The visiting squad will play four matches while on the island with their first game kicking off today at 4.30pm at the Tupapa field.

Foothill Lions touring manager Sarah Hughes said that the players in the team, aged between 13 and 16, have all been playing rugby together for the past three years.

When the idea of a tour came up, Rarotonga was a shoe-in as a couple of the players’ parents had visited the island before and highly recommended the Cooks as the team’s tour destination.

“We thought, well why not!” says Hughes.

But it won’t be all about rugby for the young lads who will volunteer their time and skill to help construction work at the Youth With A Mission church in Vaimaanga – where they are also based.

The team is encouraging all rugby union fans to come along to the Tupapa field and support the match. The local Avatiu-Tupapa under 16 outfit are asked to assemble at the Osana Hall in Tupapa at 3.15pm.

The game will kick off at 4.30pm with a post match function organised for the end.