Rangiuru's Calli Perrott in action against Whakarewarewa. Photo / Andrew Warner
Rangiuru's Calli Perrott in action against Whakarewarewa. Photo / Andrew Warner
Te Puna Rugby Football Club has hosted an annual 10s tournament for decades, but 2019 - their centenary year - has seen some changes.
The club hosted their inaugural Te Puna 10s Rugby Tournament at Maramatanga Park on Saturday, replacing the VK Memorial 10s which had run for 20 years.Not only was the tournament a new one, Aidan Kuka from Te Puna Rugby Football Club said this year, other changes included opening up entries and introducing a women's competition for the first time.
"Last year we retired the taonga that we had been playing for, for 20 years," Kuka said.
"Previously, the teams were invite only," he said.
But, there was a limit on numbers. Since the tournament was just a one-day competition, they could only take eight teams per pool - and that filled up.
From 9am until about 6pm, 16 men's teams and eight women's teams played 49 games of 10-a-side rugby were played across three divisions including the Open Men's (Blue), Men's Restricted (Black) and the Women's (White). Te Puna also fielded their first women's team in the tournament.
Rangiuru were the first winners of the women's competition, beating Raungaiti by just two points in the final, while Ngāti Hangarau scored the Men's Restricted title and hosts, Te Puna, won the Open Men's division.
Te Puna won the Open Men's division of the club's inaugural Te Puna 10s Rugby Tournament at Maramatanga Park on Saturday. Photo / Supplied
"It was really successful, we had 24 teams from quite a few different provincial unions from around the middle of the North Island," Kuka said.
"We're very thankful that clubs entered into our tournament, 10s tournament has been our product for 20, 21 years."
Te Puna managed to take the win without their 12 best players, who were competing at the National Club 7s tournament - Middlesex County Wavell Wakefield Cup - in Auckland on Saturday and Sunday as club champions representing the Bay of Plenty.
"We're just pretty blessed to have some good depth," Kuka said.
With interest in the tournament strong, Kuka said they wouldn't rule out increasing the tournament to two days in the future but they would first "sit down and do some reflections" on this year's tournament.
Te Puna 10s Rugby Tournament results:
Women's final: Rangiuru 14 - Raungaiti 12 Winners - Rangiuru Runners Up - Raungaiti Men's Restricted final: Ngāti Hangarau 19 - Judea 10 Winners - Ngāti Hangarau Runners Up - Judea Open Men's final: Te Puna 45 - United Matamata Sports 0 Winners - Te Puna Runners Up - United Matamata Sports
