Inaugural memorial trophy on the line today

In honour of staunch Puaikura sportsman Papa William Kati Heather, a new age grade rugby trophy has been created to be battled for by Mt Albert Grammar School (MAGS) and the Cook Islands resident under 19 team.

The new trophy will be up for grabs today for the first time when the visiting MAGS first XV team take on the Cook Islands resident under 19 team in their third match on their Rarotonga tour.

MAGS disposed of the Country (63-0) and Town (28-0) under 19 selection teams where the best local players have been selected from to play as the resident under 19 team against the visitors today at 4.30pm at the BCI Stadium.

The trophy was launched with a media session at Raemaru Park yesterday where Heather’s grandson Benjamin Heather and great grandson O’Neal Isaia Rongo, who is a member of the Mt Albert Grammar first XV squad on tour, proudly displayed the carved wooden trophy.

The memorial trophy was an initiative by the Cook Islands Rugby Union that the Heather family of Arorangi were happy to support as they have been thinking of creating a memorial trophy for the prominent Puaikura figure.

Cook Islands Rugby Union chief executive officer Ben Koteka says the trophy is first and foremost to honour Papa Heather who was a staunch sportsman for the Puaikura Vaka.

The creation of the memorial trophy will also serve to strengthen the relationship between the Cook Islands and MAGS not only on the rugby field but also in the field of education.

“We felt it was appropriate to create this memorial trophy in honour of William Heather seeing as his grandchildren are in both teams,” says Koteka.

O’Neal Isaia Rongo, who developed his rugby skills at Raemaru Park before heading to New Zealand for school, will feature in the MAGS team and his cousin Benjamin Heather will featured in the Cook Islands resident under 19 team which will make for an interesting match.

The trophy, carved by Chris Mokoroa, features the flat top of the iconic Raemaru peak in Arorangi, the north star that was a guiding light in Heather’s life and is etched on his grave headstone, a cross to represent Heather’s strong faith as well as the traditional motifs for peace and unity as well as the motif for the extinct bird that used to be found on Maungaroa in Arorangi – the Keukeu.

Heather’s son Robert Heather says the family is proud to see a trophy in honour of William Heather and it was something they are planning to do for the Arorangi sports club.

The scene has certainly been set for a passionate and fiery final match between the talented and slick MAGS outfit and a fresh Cook Islands under 19 selection.

Get along to the BCI to support the Rarotonga club sevens and school boy rugby at its very best.