Ripping up the field in rippa rugby

Rarotonga primary school students are still buzzing over the fantastic rippa rugby tournament on Tuesday sponsored by Cook Islands News.

Cook Islands Rugby Union chief executive officer Ben Koteka was impressed with the organisation of the tournament by hosts Arorangi Primary School under the guidance of Billy Foster and the level of skills displayed by all 600 plus kids from the 9 schools that took part.

While the bigger schools Avarua and Avatea took out most of the division games, Koteka was really pleased to see the smaller schools like Nikao Maori, Rutaki, Imanuela Akatemia and Apii Te Uki Ou take it to the fancier teams.

All the games were expertly controlled by Cook Islands Sports Academy students and outer islands trainers who were on the island for a coaching course ahead of the one-day tournament.

Koteka adds that the hugely successful tournament not only gave local kids the opportunity to play, enjoy and show off their rippa rugby skills but it also showcased the important capacity building work being done not only in player development but the development of rugby administrators, coaches and event organisers.

The next rippa rugby event will be the national rippa rugby championships in November as a lead up to under 15 championships and the annual international sevens tournament.

Cook Islands rugby union would like to thank major sponsors Cook Islands News, event coordinator Billy Foster and hosts Arorangi Primary School and all the kids for a positive and awesome rippa rugby tournament.

Full rippa results A boys-1st Avarua, 2nd Nikao, B boys-1st Avatea, 2nd Avarua, C boys-1st Avarua, 2nd Takitumu, A girls-1st Avarua, 2nd Avatea, B girls-1st Avatea, 2nd Avarua, C girls-1st Avarua, 2nd Takitum, C mixed-1st Avarua, 2nd St Josephs.