Cook Islands Rugby Union (CIRU) will this week host New Zealand women’s professional rugby player Saphire Abraham who will run open rugby skills session for local women and girls.

Former Cook Islands 7s rep Abraham, who featured for Hurricanes Poua in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition, is visiting the island with her partner Barbra Auva’a, a champion New Zealand powerlifter.

She will hold an open rugby skills session for women and girls at Nukupure Park in Ngatangiia this afternoon at 5pm.

On Thursday, Abraham will be at Nukutere College at 9am and Tereora College at 11am to run sessions with Year 7 and Year 10 girls.

Her trip is part of an initiative organised through CIRU’s women’s steering committee led by Cook Islands women’s U18 coach Harriet Tuara and through their mutual contacts Tekura Ngata-Aerengamate (TK), Krystal Murray (Muzza) and Sheena Tavioni.

“Saph (Abraham) saw the work TK and Muzza did when they were here on holiday and wanted to give back to her community also, hence the rugby clinic skills session tomorrow (today),” Tuara said.

“On Thursday Saphire will also be visiting Nukutere and Tereora Colleges to run sessions with their Year 8 and Year 10 girls.”

The session is open to all women and girls aged 14 years and over who are keen on learning rugby skills and/or currently new to the game and are in season at the moment.

“It’s a very exciting opportunity for us and we are so fortunate to have these professional athletes offer up their leisure time to give back to the community. It’s an opportunity for our girls and women to learn so much more. We are delighted and humbled,” Tuara said.

“From this we hope to get a good number of participants at the rugby clinic and soak up as much learning from Saphire as possible. We also hope to continue nurturing our network with athletes such as Saphire and others who have so much to offer in terms of expertise and knowledge.”

The organisers are also hosting a meet and greet dinner with Abraham and Auva’a on Monday, April 3, which is open to the public.

“There will be an opportunity for those attending to ask questions during a Q&A session. There are limited spots and bookings are essential.

If you are interested, please RSVP by Friday, March 31 to Harriet Tuara on htuara@vodafone.co.ck or 74311.”