Visit delivered more than they expected

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

RUGBY

It was the ultimate silver lining.

The Mark Naden-coached Campion College seven-a-side rugby team may have gone up to Ruatoria earlier than expected for the Ngati Porou East Coast under-16 seven-a-side rugby tournament, but the warm welcome they received last Friday, the good hard impromptu game they played with students of Ngata Memorial College, and the valuable team time together were eye-openers.

“It was a humbling day,” said Naden, who refereed along with teacher Wayne Palmer.

“Our boys made some mates, and shared food and tactics with the opposition.

“Our team was Jack Sadler, Taber House, Jack Bason, Isaiah Moran, Scott Hatwell, footballers Blake Marshall and Andre Riley, and skipper Max Briant.”

Wayne Palmer didn’t waste the opportunity for his sevens team to get their first run of the season, ahead of the tourney scheduled for May 15.

Travel and the co-ordination of events with Gisborne schools often prove a hurdle, but that wasn’t so last Friday.

“When the sun shines, you make hay,” Palmer said.

“A hasty plan was hatched, with the permission of staff, and the timetable was tweaked.

“It was a pleasure to have Campion as our manuhiri (guests). Tania Sadlier certainly wanted to play. As the only girl on the paddock, she gave as good as she got.”

The Campion crew left Gisborne at 6.30am, got to Ruatoria at 8.40am, left Ngata Memorial College at 11.15am and arrived in Gisborne at 2.45pm — having visited Tokomaru Bay and Tolaga Bay on the way home. The most valuable player award went to all the players from both teams.