Sevens continue this weekend

This week will be the last week of pool play of the CITC pre-season sevens tournament in each of the grades.

Teams will want to secure first or second position in their pool to assure them of a semifinal spot next weekend.

Due to this week’s draw featuring some new teams to each of the grades, including the under 13 Arorangi squad, under 16 Tupapa, under 19 Arorangi and Tupapa in the A grade, these new teams will have to play two games this week to make up for lost ground.

Games to watch this week will be the under 13 clash between Avatiu and Arorangi.

This will be Arorangi’s second match of the day and Avatiu’s first and it will be good to gauge whether either team will be able to seriously challenge the Tupapa team.

The under 16 Tupapa team will play this week and this will be an opportunity to see what they have to offer in this grade.

Like their under 13 and under 19 teams of last week, their age-grade development plans are coming to fruition so it will be interesting to see if the under 16 grade are able to continue this trend.

The Tupapa under 16 grade is coached by the flamboyant Inangaro ‘love’ Tupuna.

The Arorangi under 19 grade will play for the first time this week and again with some of their young talent being drafted into the senior ranks this will be an opportunity to check on their player depth.

In the Senior A division, Tupapa will feature in two matches this week on their home ground.

It will be interesting to see how they fare without arguably their best player Turori Matutu – who is currently playing sevens for the Arorangi Cowboys in 2010.

This weekend’s games will be played at the Tupapa grounds.

Week two sevens draw for Saturday: 12.30pm, rippa rugby for boys and girls under 9 and 11; 1.30pm-Under 13 Arorangi vs Titikaveka; 1.47pm, Under 13 Tupapa vs Takuvaine; 2.04pm, Under 16 Arorangi vs Titikaveka; 2.21pm, Under 16 Tupapa vs Takuvaine; 2.38pm, Under 19 Arorangi vs Titikaveka; 2.55pm, Under 19 Tupapa vs Takuvaine; 3.12pm, Snr A Arorangi vs Titikaveka; 3.29pm, Snr ATupapa vs Takuvaine; 3.46pm, Under 13 Avatiu vs Arorangi; 4.03pm, Under 16 Nga/Mata vs Tupapa; 4.20pm, women City vs Country; 4.50pm, Under 19 Avatiu vs Arorangi; 5.07pm, Snr A Nga/Mata vs Tupapa.