Young Chinese rugby players may hone their skills in Mount Maunganui in the future.
Bay of Plenty Rugby Union chief Mike Rogers is hosting a delegation of rugby leaders and players from China this afternoon at The University of Waikato Adams Centre for High Performance, in Miro St, Mount Maunganui.
Finance Minister Steven Joyce was expected to join them, along with Education Tauranga manager Anne Young.
This is the first Chinese national youth team to visit New Zealand and is part of a growing connection between New Zealand and China across sport and education.
The team and senior officials are looking at future opportunities to combine rugby training camps with education, Mrs Young said.
"The education component can be English language, high school immersion or tertiary level subject specific study," she said.
Mrs Young would be meeting the delegation over the next few days to discuss opportunities for them.
Chinese delegation
Representatives of rugby organisations in China visiting the Bay today include:
- Jack Lau, China Football Rugby Association secretary and head of China's Sevens programme
- Yu Han, China Football Rugby Association project manager
- Adrian An of Flying Horse Rugby Club in Beijing
- Simon Pang, national youth team coach
- Mark Ralph, president of Trying Rugby.