Mangapapa to represent Bay, Russia

Mangapapa Rippa Rugby winners: Mangapapa won the Rugger Cup and will travel to Wellington tomorrow to compete in the Air New Zealand Rippa Rugby nationals, representing Poverty Bay and Russia. They are, back (from left): Fi Donnelly (assistant principal), Aisha Twigley, Hine Brooking, “Rugger Tom”, Mya Carrington, coach and teacher Chris Adams, and Cruze Casey-Hoepo. Kneeling: Koby Perrett, Issaac Robinson, Ariana Kepa, Jerome Tamatea (holding Rugger Cup), Taylor Carrington and Azariah Kingi Te-Purei. Picture by Rebecca Grunwell

RIPPA RUGBY

Mangapapa School will represent their provincial team, Poverty Bay, and a Rugby World Cup participating country, Russia, when they play Rippa Rugby in Wellington from tomorrow.

Fourteen primary school teams took part in the Gisborne tournament in May to determine the regional representatives.

Mangapapa beat Te Wharau 10-7 in the final to win the Rippa Rugger Cup.

The players of the tournament both came from Mangapapa. Jerome Tamatea received the boys’ award and Hine Brooking, the girls’.

Teams must have five boys and five girls.

As winners of this tournament, the Mangapapa team go to Wellington to compete in the Air New Zealand Rippa Rugby World Cup 2019, from tomorrow to Tuesday.

Mangapapa will represent their provincial team, Poverty Bay, and Russia, the country selected at random for them to support.

The team coach is teacher Chris Adams.

During the Air New Zealand Rippa Rugby World Cup, Mangapapa will also play for the Gold Cup against Te Waiu — winners of the East Coast competition.

The 26 primary school teams are representing Rugby World Cup nations, although only 20 countries will be represented at the tournament itself.