Eastern Bay of Plenty's Opotiki Primary School's Year 5/6 Rippa Rugby team has qualified for the national tournament in Wellington later in the year after a fitting finale to the season in Paengaroa.
The top qualifiers from the Eastern Bay beat Western Bay's top team from Te Akau Ki Papamoa in the final of the EastPack Rippa Rugby World Cup after a day of running rippa rugby in fine conditions.
The Papamoa school could not be stopped in the Year 3/4 tournament however, beating fellow Western Bay representatives Omanu School in the final to round out a strong showing.
Rugby development officer Kane Hames said the fact that the day's scores had been close indicated the Bay's best teams were all in attendance.
About 240 kids from all over the Bay participated, and in so doing played some fantastic running rugby that produced a series of scintillating, end-to-end tries.
Hames said the sport has been more than useful as a development tool, as evidenced by the number of teams effectively drawing in defenders before passing with both hands.
"It's taken about five years to get it to this place. It's doing what we want it to do - developing the skills of running, passing and evading."
EastPack business development manager Toby Potter said supporting the series of tournaments was a no-brainer considering EastPack operates sites in Katikati, Te Puke, Edgecumbe and Opotiki.
"EastPack enjoys a huge amount of support from communities throughout the Bay of Plenty, from growers supplying us with fruit to the people who work in the EastPack team throughout the year," said Potter.
"Supporting an event which impacts the lives of local families gives us a chance to repay the community for their support."
EastPack supplied 50 Kid's Club memberships valued at $39 as part of their involvement in developing the sport across the region, and donated hundreds of t-shirts in the colours of various countries for the young players to keep.
"It was awesome to see some of those young boys and girls busting out a wicked sidestep in the EastPack t-shirts, that's for sure," said Potter.
EastPack Baywide Rippa Rugby World Cup results:
Year 3/4 Championship winners: Te Auki Ki Papamoa, Championship runners-up: Omanu School; Plate winners: Selwyn Ridge School, Plate runners-up: Opotiki School; Bowl winners: Otonga School, Bowl runners-up: St Joseph's Catholic School; Year 5/6 Championship winners: Opotiki Primary School, Championship runners-up: Te Akau Ki Papamoa; Plate winners: Asbrook School, Plate runners-up: Pillans Point School; Bowl winners: Otonga School, Bowl runners-up: Taneatua School