The Most Valuable Player award winners from the Gisborne Intermediate teams at the Super 11 Lightweight Rugby Festival were (from left) Tomas Warren (Taniwha), Austin Young (Gis Int A) and Braxton Briant (Giants).
The Most Valuable Player award winners from the Gisborne Intermediate teams at the Super 11 Lightweight Rugby Festival were (from left) Tomas Warren (Taniwha), Austin Young (Gis Int A) and Braxton Briant (Giants).
For pocket rockets, it was the rugby highlight of the year.
Gisborne Intermediate School’s Super 11 Lightweight Rugby Festival drew a crowd of 800 - not including students - to the school last week for what was a superb competition involving local and Bay of Plenty students.
Three roundsof play were followed by semifinals and a thrilling grand final for the Hart Trophy - decided in golden point extra-time.
Players from eight Under-48kg teams showed quality skills, rugby sense and teamwork during a tournament facilitated by Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union with Gisborne Boys’ High School providing referees.
The Ollie Preston-led Tauranga A team were the overall winners, beating Gis Int A 3-2 in golden point time after leading 2-1 at the break in regulation play.
Tauranga A head coach Matt Ensor said it was a great all-round experience.
“In terms of the trip overall, our kids love it and they talk more about the billets, the hospitality and the experience than the rugby,” Ensor said.
“In terms of the play, fitness came into it and though it was a lot more competitive around the ruck, the ball was also in play more of the time. Gis Int A really challenged us there.”
Gisborne Intermediate sports co-ordinator Wayne Ensor said it was “right up there with the best tournaments we’ve had - two of the semifinals were golden-point games. We’re stoked with that”.
Divine Papuni was named Ilminster Intermediate's Most Valuable Player at the Super 11 Lightweight Rugby Festival held at Gisborne Intermediate School last week.
Most Valuable Player awards for the Gisborne teams went toTomas Warren (Gis Int Taniwha), Austin Young (Gis Int A), Braxton Briant (Gis Int Giants) and Divine Papuni (Ilminster).
Results, pool play, Pool A: Gis Int A 9 Gis Int Giants 0, Tauranga 9 Ilminster 0, Gis Int A 2 Tauranga 3, Gis Int Giants 3 Ilminster 4, Gis Int Giants 0 Tauranga 8, Gis Int A 6 Ilminster 0.
Pool B: Gis Int Taniwha 0 Tauranga B 8, Te Puke 7, Mt Maunganui 0, Gis Int Taniwha 0 Te Puke 10, Tauranga B 4 Mt Maunganui 1, Te Puke 5 Tauranga B 0, Gis Int Taniwha 1 Mt Maunganui 5.
Top-four semifinals: Tauranga 5 Tauranga B 0, Te Puke 2 Gis Int A 3.
5th-8th semifinals: Ilminster 3 Gis Int Taniwha 2, Mt Maunganui 3 Gis Int Giants 0.
7th-8th playoff: Gis Int Taniwha 2 Gis Int Giants 0.
