All Blacks Sevens: Local kids train with stars in Mount Maunganui

Petera Wharepapa-Maxwell, left, Tātana Wharepapa-Maxwell, Kairangi Brown and Rangikapua Grace watch the All Black Sevens stars train at Blake Park in Mount Maunganui. Photo / John Borren

Rugby players and fans have flooded Blake Park to watch and practise with their idols.

Friends Petera Wharepapa-Maxwell, Tātana Wharepapa-Maxwell, Kairangi Brown, and Rangikapua Grace watched as the All Blacks Sevens trained before joining them for a skills and drills event with the Black Ferns Sevens.

The event was open to all to celebrate the teams’ recent successes as they prepare for the Paris Olympics, New Zealand rugby spokesperson Libby Boggs said.

From 11am Wednesday, the Blake Park field was filled with kids of all ages aiming to get the chance to train with the best.

Petera, Tātana, Kairangi and Rangikapua say they are big fans of the All Black Sevens and the Black Ferns Sevens.

Kairangi said his favourite player was Cody Vai.

All four boys play rugby and ripper and want to be professional rugby players when they’re older.

Mahina Paul during during training at Blake Park in Mount Maunganui. Photo / John Borren

“I want to play for the Warriors first and then the All Blacks,” Kairangi said.

He said he started playing at 6 years old.

“My dad wanted to make me play Ripper until I had a tantrum to play rugby so he put me in the under eights.”

“I started when I was 6,”Tātana said.

“I started when I was 7,” Rangikapua said.

When asked who they look up to they said their teammates and coaches.

The boys said they were most excited about the skills and drills session hosted by the All Blacks Sevens and the Black Ferns Sevens.

The Tauranga open training session and skills and drills event came a week after their triumphant Hong Kong Sevens wins.

“There are two more tournaments scheduled on the World SVNS Series this season; Singapore at the start of May and the final in Madrid in June,” Boggs said.

- SunLive