School holiday Rippa

Children sick of sitting around the house during their holidays will have a chance to get active and learn some more rugby skills when the Cook Islands Rugby Union’s under-13 holiday programme starts next Monday.

The holiday programme is part of a week-long celebration of rugby that aims to build, develop and strengthen the talent base of rugby in the Cook Islands.

Led by former New Zealand Sevens representative Chad Tuoro, the holiday programme will be split into three age groups – 10-13-year-olds, seven to 10-year-olds and under seven-year-olds.

Starting at 10am on Monday, the kids will get into some rugby skills sessions for the first two days at Victoria Park. The skills will run in two blocks. The third and final block of the day will see them put these skills to the test in some good old fashioned Rippa rugby.

The final day will be on Saturday and will feature a skills block before the kids engage in more games of Rippa rugby with a barbecue and prizegiving afterwards.

Children will be in good hands with Tuoro, who was part of teams that secured three National Sevens Championships in New Zealand.

The programme is open to boys and girls in the Cook Islands, but there is a limit to the number of children who will be accepted. The earlier they turn up for registration the better, so as they avoid any potential disappointment.

If parents, club coaches or helpers are interested in assisting with the three-day event, please contact Ben Koteka at the CIRU.