Sevens: First all-girls division for BOP event

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Rotorua students will take part as 24 teams from 21 schools from the Bay of Plenty and Waikato regions compete in the Bay of Plenty Rugby Sevens Invitational Tournament tomorrow.

The event, run by the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union and Sport Bay of Plenty, will take place at the Westbrook Rugby Fields in Rotorua.

Teams will compete in the Year 5/6 division and Year 7/8 division.

Games will be played seven-a-side with five reserves to a team. The Year 5/6 division allows for mixed gender teams while the Year 7/8 division requires teams to be made up of all boys or all girls.

"This event has become a great lead-in to the NZCT AIMS Games for the Year 7/8 competitors," said Kati Steindorf, interim central BOP primary school event co-ordinator for Sport Bay of Plenty.

"We have aligned the rules for this tournament to act as a practice event for intermediate [students] to test their skills before the AIMS Games and it gives the Year 5/6 participants a goal to build towards. This year is especially exciting since it is the first year we will run an all-girls division."

Schools will play a round robin competition with the top two teams in each pool moving on to the play-offs.

Organisers said members of the public were welcome as spectators. They recommended taking a small fold-up chair and setting up on the sidelines.

The first game will start at 9.45am with play-offs starting at 12.40pm.

Year 7 & 8 Boys Division

Pool 1
Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Rotoiti
Kaitao Middle School
Kaharoa School
Papamoa College
Aquinas College

Pool 2
Whangamarino School
Rotorua Intermediate
John Paul College
Peachgrove Intermediate
Katikati College

Year 7 & 8 Girls Division

Rotorua Intermediate
Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Rotoiti/Lake Rotoma
Whangamarino School
Kaitao Middle School

Year 5 & 6 Division

Pool 1
Kawaha Point School
Otonga Primary School
Western Heights Primary School
Te Wharekura o Ngati Rongomai
Maketu Primary School

Pool 2
Owhata School
St Mary's Catholic School Rotorua
Westbrook School
Pongakawa School
Whangamarino School