In December, a team of under-16 sevens rugby players from around the Tasman district will be heading to a Rarotongan College’s sevens tournament. Joining two other New Zealand teams they make up a pool of eight teams and help the locals boost tournament numbers.
They received an invitation from South Pacific Sports Tours – a locally-run small business that plans and organizes sports teams to travel to Pacific Island destinations to compete against teams and schools that would not normally get the chance to host overseas teams.
Since their invitation the under-16 sevens team has fund-raised for nine months with food stalls, firewood sales, quiz nights and sausage sizzles to reach their target.
As normal criteria for South Pacific Sports Tours, the team will leave their sports equipment as a donation to their hosts and surrounding schools.
“Each of the boys have trained and worked exceptionally hard for this trip, so they’re really looking forward to it,” says Ian Biggs of South Pacific Sports Tours.
The annual trip will include an under-16 girl’s team for next year’s tournament.