13s RLN Cup – Muriwhenua v WIS-Stags

Whangarei Intermediate win the inaugural Rugby League Nines at the internataional AIMS Games in Tauranga.

**Coach: Joe Rau
**Manager: Vanessa Peters

Owen Shanks (Captain)
Dylan Brown
Takakino Makara
Paul Turner
Wiremu Greig
Tiakiawa Nathan
Diani Timms
Samuel Winikerei
Tahu Tawhiwhirangi
Matiu Baker
Chris Shepherd-George
Mauriora Shelford-Morrell
Kassem Erihe

This is the first year RUGBY LEAGUE 9’s was played at the AIMS GAMES INTERNATIONAL SPORTING CHAMPIONSHIPS.

In term 1 of this year our school was made aware of this, staff were asked who would like to take charge of a team for the AIMS GAMES. I put my hand up hoping to get a parent on board to help coach. Joe Rau put his hand up and from then on, our journey unfolded….and we’ve created HISTORY really.

We held a few trial games as the response in numbers was quite big, then we chose our team. Monday afternoon were our training sessions after school and all boys committed to these for the next 7 months.

Then we entered our team into the Northland U13s Sunday League competition to give them more league time and team building together. We ended up winning this competition. Trophy #1

We then played in the Northland Rugby League – 9’s tournament – Intermediate School Champions Y7 & Y8 in August that we also won. All these games helped in preparation for the Aims Games Tournament. Trophy #2

Joe Rau as Coach with his passion, vision and drive has helped to get to where we are, to winning this AIMS GAMES CHAMPIONSHIP. Brotherhood and Self Belief has been Joe’s korero with the boys. Believing in themselves and one game at a time.

12 schools entered in the comp. First game we drew against RAKAUMANGAMANGA 12 all. We went on to win our next 5 games which made us the winners of our pool.

We beat Papamoa in the semi final to play RAKAUMANGAMANGA again. This was a very hard game. They were ready for us and we were for them too. Big in size they were and our boys not as big. BUT a big heart they played with. Our speed, agility, skill and ball skills got them to be the CHAMPIONS AND WINNERS.
20-16 FULLTIME SCORE.

After the tournament , they then named a “Tournament Team” that 4 of our boys were named in: The DREAM TEAM

Dylan Brown
Paul Turner
Takakino Makara
Owen Shanks

HOW EXCITING. (written by Vanessa Peters)

At present there are two Mini-Mod competitions being run. One in Whangarei and the other in Kaikohe with a third planned for Kaitaia.

Whangarei Mini-Mods – Sunday’s, Otaika Sports Park (aka Bluegoose), first games kick off at 9:00am

The Whangarei competition has nearly 50 teams from the 6s, 8s, 10s, 12s and 14s grades. The day runs on Sunday from 9.00-2.30pm and each club has a turn at being the duty club which enables them to fundraise.

Parent’s Referee and help set up the fields, the music goes on and the day is packed with rugby league action. There are lots of girls playing too and heaps of mums are starting to Coach and Ref. We are also seeing non-traditional rugby league families enter their tamariki as they see a real fun-packed package that is safe and well organised.

Kaikohe Mini-Mods – Wednesday nights, Lindvart Park, first games kick off at 4:00pm

In Kaikohe we currently have 25 teams which are both club based and school based. There is a real buzz on Wednesday nights and it has great parental involvement. The day has had positive responses as it enables kids to play other codes or families to spend more time together. We are starting to gain interest from Kerikeri which is a demographic which we wish to include in the growth stages of our mini/mods fixtures.