Hawke’s Bay’s Junior Pacific Warriors U14 team in Bangkok during the Bangkok International Rugby Sevens tournament.
Hawke’s Bay’s Junior Pacific Warriors U14 team in Bangkok during the Bangkok International Rugby Sevens tournament.
Hawke’s Bay’s Junior Pacific Warriors U14 team have returned from Bangkok as tournament champions.
The 12 young players from Hawke’s Bay — including three from Central Hawke’s Bay — travelled to this month’s Bangkok International Rugby Sevens tournament, to play in the competition’s first Kids Rugby 10s tournament.
The tripwas organised by Central Hawke’s Bay coach Richard Kupa, who has regularly taken men’s sevens teams over to Bangkok, gaining a reputation for winning almost every time they attend.
Kupa asked David Adamson, the Bangkok sevens tournament director who helped form the Pacific Warriors Club in 2009, if he could take a kids team to Bangkok.
CHB players Nikora Kupa (left), Cooper Kittow, and Caleb Simiona with the winners’ trophy.
Adamson said yes, because the Pacific Warriors Club was started to give young men who were on the fringes of professional rugby an opportunity to travel overseas and be part of a touring group.
It was a long road of fundraising for the group of families to get their kids to Bangkok, and Kupa said while the team he chose to take to Bangkok were talented players, they were also hand-picked for their behaviour and attitudes.
“I chose to take kids away that are good kids that have manners and respect the values we are building.
“Our Junior Pacific Warriors team returned home not only as champions, but with a whole new appreciation of life,” Kupa said.
“Although rugby was the reason behind our trip to Bangkok, there were numerous learnings that came with it: giving thanks, being grateful, respect, manaakitanga, aroha, and whanaungatanga are all values that can be taken away from this trip.
“We were in a country that lives these values daily and also reminded us of how lucky we are living in our beautiful country.
Coach and organiser Richard Kupa with Nikora Kupa, holding the trophy.
“This was a special group as it was the first kids team representing our Pacific Warriors Club. They played six games winning all six including the final, and only conceded one try all tournament.
“Our kids expressed themselves on and off the field coming away with the trophy, but also the cultural experience of the Thai people and their country. A tour party of 12 kids and 10 adults making lifelong memories in another part of the world.
“Such an amazing experience for all. We thank our team and individual sponsors, everyone who helped get our team over there, and to our awesome kids for not only representing their whanau and community but also their country. A week full of learnings, experiences, and memories.”
