Sevens: Course teaches US students new skills

American students will learn valuable rugby skills in the Bay of Plenty in a new programme starting this winter.

The Rugby Sevens Study Abroad programme is a 17-week course aimed at teaching sevens skills and giving students academic credits.

Representatives from the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union and Bay of Plenty Polytechnic recently travelled to the US to attend the US Rugby National Development Summit in Philadelphia.

Union chief executive Mike Rogers and player development manager Chad Tuoro travelled with the polytechnic's international projects manager Anne Young and sport and recreation leader Peter Sommers to promote the new programme.

New relationships within the US college rugby communities were formed as a result of the visit.

The Rugby Sevens programme provides US college students with the opportunity to participate in an elite rugby sevens training programme while also enrolled in academic study at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic. The students will travel to Tauranga to complete the programme from July to November.

Rogers said the trip was very beneficial.

"There was a positive response to the programme and we received great feedback."

Rogers and Tuoro presented a session to coaches at the summit and were given the opportunity to address all those attending during the reception dinner.

"We were the only organisation asked to speak which really highlighted our strong relationship and reputation with USA Rugby."

Young said there had been strong interest from US colleges who would like their students to participate in the Rugby Sevens Study Abroad programme.

The union and polytechnic will now work to convert the interest from the colleges into enrolments on the Rugby Sevens Study Abroad programme.

"We are intending to have the first intake of students arriving in July this year; this is timed to be within our rugby sevens season and also fits well with the polytechnic's semester two start dates," said Rogers.