Rugby: Top-notch training centre welcomed

Bay of Plenty Rugby will move into the former Cosmopolitan Club at Blake Park next year. Photo / File

Bay of Plenty Rugby will move from Baypark to the new High Performance Training Centre at Blake Park early in 2016.

Bay of Plenty Rugby chief executive Mike Rogers said it was an exciting time for Bay of Plenty Rugby but also the wider region.

"To have a world-class facility at the Mount is another great opportunity for our sport in the Bay of Plenty and is essential to the growth of the game," he said.

"The facility will not only be home for the union and its flagship team the Steamers, it will also be utilised for women's rugby, sevens rugby and rugby development.

"This will provide the union with the opportunity to rub shoulders with other sports, which will include the All Blacks Sevens and New Zealand Women's Sevens teams."

Rogers says rugby has the opportunity and responsibility to contribute to strengthening the Bay community, providing opportunities for youth, and making the Bay a place that is proud of its achievements.

"The High Performance Training Centre is a facility that will help achieve this. It is important to ... support similar projects to support our region's development," Rogers said.

"Bay Venues and the Tauranga City Council's vision and leadership in the establishment of this facility has been outstanding.

"They can see the benefit sport plays in the community, and providing a world-class training environment for Bay of Plenty athletes and sports to be a part of is critical to retaining and attracting New Zealand's best sportspeople."

Gary Dawson, chief executive of BayVenues, said Bay of Plenty Rugby would be a cornerstone tenant of the centre and "we are thrilled to have them on board".

"One of the key objectives of the centre is to provide world-class training facilities for teams that represent the Bay of Plenty," he said.

"We are confident that this high-performance environment will provide the foundation for athletes and teams from Bay of Plenty Rugby to go on to great success."