Central BOP under-11 team win Ellis Shield Tournament

VICTORIOUS: Central Bay of Plenty have come out on top against their Eastern and Western counterparts to lift the Tanerau Latimer Shield. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Central Bay of Plenty have come out on top against their Eastern and Western rivals to lift the Tanerau Latimer Shield.

It is the first time they have won the under-11 shield since 2012.

Every year the three sub-union junior rugby committees, in conjunction with the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union, run the Ellis Shield tournament in which under-11, under-12 and under-13 representative teams play for Baywide bragging rights.

Central were crowned winners of the latest installment, held over the weekend in Tauranga, after drawing with Western and beating Eastern.

Team manager Amy Chung said all junior clubs in the Rotorua region put forward their best players to trial out for the Ellis Shield Team and through a trial day the best players were selected to represent Central Bay of Plenty.

"We had a great representation from a number of clubs make the team - Galatea, Reporoa, Kahukura, Rotoiti, Marist St Michaels and Ngongotaha.

"The boys only had two weeks to train together under the guidance of [coaches] William Brailey and TK Whata. These boys all had their own strengths to bring to the team and were able to use their skills to build a strong team," Chung said.

Central also had eight players named in the tournament team; Matthew Cane (Marist), Brodie Chung (Marist), Setaleki Mafile'o (Marist), Riley Williams (Galatea), Kael Merriman (Galatea), Troy Thomas (Reporoa), Vaydem Hamiora (Rotoiti) and Mark Rounds (Kahukura).

"I am so proud of how these boys came together in such a short period of time and were able to work as a team to represent the Central Bay of Plenty at the tournament," Chung said.

"For a team of boys who play against each other each week throughout the rugby season to then come together as one shows their commitment, dedication and passion for the game and their region."