Stratford Eltham junior rugby teams have successful season

The Stratford Eltham junior Ferdie 5 rugby team was undefeated during the season.

Central Taranaki junior rugby teams had a successful season.

The Stratford Eltham junior Ferdie 5 B team were undefeated this season, co-coach Zane Bolger said.

“This is a team of 10-year-olds who are in Year 5 at school. They’re a great competitive bunch of kids and a very coachable team.”

Bolger, who co-coaches the team with Kerry Kretschmar and Sean Kay, said the team played 13 games during the regular season, winning all of them and then had a strong finish in the end-of-season tournament against the other teams.

“This was a round-robin-styled tournament and the team made it through to the semis and then the finals and took home a trophy. They were a very happy bunch of kids.”

He said the group of kids played well the whole season.

“What they had learned at training, they put out on to the field every game of the season.”

He said he and the other coaches enjoyed coaching the Ferdie 5 team.

“The kids were fantastic and worked well together.”

The Stratford Eltham junior Ferdie 7 rugby team won the end of season tournament.

The Stratford Eltham junior Ferdie 7 team were also successful, he said.

“They lost two of their games in the regular season but then in the closing tournament, they also won a trophy. It’s great to see that our junior Stratford Eltham team are doing well in the rugby.”

Ferdie 7 coach Rangiwhetu Robinson said this season, the Stratford and Eltham Ferdie 7 teams joined together.

“It was a great fit with the senior amalgamation with both clubs, with both clubs having teams that had grown up together since playing Ripper Rugby.”

He said the players gelled well together.

“They played well on a full field with some players playing out of their normal positions,”

Robinson said it was a great season.

“All of the coaches are proud of how the teams played.”