Feb 15, 2008

North Harbour Rugby players at The Great Riverhead Tavern Raft Race

Tomorrow our teams take on the river in the annual Great Riverhead Tavern Rafe Race to show their support for NZ lifeguards. after a grueling day of physically demanding activities  teams were tasked with building a raft in 45 minutes with limited materials.  Once completed the teams were  informed these were the very vessels they will use in the Riverhead Raft Race. Lets hope they hold together!!!  Come on down and see the team and many other entrants this Saturday at 1pm at the Riverhead Tavern.

Blues

With the World Cup behind us and key players back in action, this year's Rebel Sport Super 14  is set to be an exciting one.

The Blues take on local rivals the Chiefs tomorrow night at Eden Park in their first home game of the season. The line up includes Harbour players Anthony Tuitavake, Nick Williams, Tony Woodcock, Anthony Boric and Rudi Wulf.

It's a battle you won't want to miss. For more details and ticket information, click here.

Representative Rugby

Both the North Harbour Maori & Maori Colts teams kicked off their pre-season with a win over Waikato at Glenfield last Sunday.

The Colts came back from a 5-8 deficit in the first half to win 22-8 and the Maori Seniors outscored Waikato 4 tries to 2, winning 22-12 after the two teams were locked up 7 all at half time.

This weekend the two teams take on Northland in the Te Hiku O Te Ika Northern Region Competition. The Colts game will kick off at 11am followed by the Seniors at 12.30pm, both at Helensville RFC.
For further information, results and point scorers for both teams checkout http://www.harbourrugby.co.nz/otherreps/maori.htm

New Appointments in North Harbour Community Rugby

Dean Watkins has been appointed to our Player & Coach Development team. Dean is a primary school teacher by profession and in recent years completed a Diploma in Sports Management.  Dean has been in sports management roles in recent years including SENZ training co-ordination, coaching and development in North Harbour and as a YMCA programme manager.  Dean has played representative rugby through age group rugby up to NPC level and has representative status in several other sports. Dean brings experience and in-depth knowledge in rugby development for junior and teenage rugby and sports management in general.  He will be responsible for primary school rugby development.  Dean is replacing Hannah who has now assumed the full time role of Professional Development Manager.

Warwick Fenton has been appointed to a new role as School Liaison Officer. Warwick comes from a Secondary School teaching background with extensive rugby involvement in coaching and administration most recently at Rangitoto and Whangaparaoa Colleges. Warwick has worked in secondary schools in the Waikato and greater Auckland regions for many years and has been involved at a high level in secondary school sports governance in rugby, athletics and cross country both regionally and nationally.  He was instrumental in setting up the “Clubs in Schools” programme and in developing programmes to harness volunteers in school sporting programmes as NCEA absorbed a greater part of teachers’ time. Warwick has also been involved in initiatives for the development of junior talent programmes and academies at schools.  Warwick’s role is similar to that of the Club Liaison Officer and the school liaison role is seen as essential in taking teenage and age group rugby forward in North Harbour to provide improved programmes and opportunities in secondary school rugby and to improve the transition of players back into club rugby upon leaving school.

Warwick will be starting on 25th February and Dean the 10th March.

Great news on our Referee Arm of the Game

The following North Harbour referees have overseas travel coming up.
Steve Walsh has just left for England and will be refereeing the international between England and France in two weeks time.
Glenn Newman is off to the Hong Kong 10's and 7’s in March for the inaugural North Harbour and Hong Kong Referees exchange scheme. After years of negotiating this wonderful opportunity for our local referees it has now been signed off. Thanks go to Danny Meade, Membership Convenor for NHRRA, an ex Hong Kong referee in brokering the deal.

These are some of the many opportunities available if you choose to become a referee for North Harbour.
If you would like more information contact Ray Garrett on (09) 447 2111 or 027 571 5583, alternatively email ray@harbourrugby.co.nz

Congratulations to the New Zealand Sevens

The victorious New Zealand Sevens team returned from the United States this week with a new record after its 27–12 win against South Africa in the final of the USA Sevens over the weekend.

The final win in San Diego was the team’s 36th match victory in a row in the IRB Sevens Series, surpassing the previous record of 34, set by New Zealand during the 2001/2002 season. New Zealand has not lost a game in the IRB Sevens Series since a semi-final loss against Fiji in the Adelaide round of the 2006/2007 season.

The victory in San Diego was also the team’s sixth consecutive tournament win – their fourth in a row in the 2007/2008 season and adding to the tournament wins in London and Edinburgh at the end of last season where they clinched a record seventh IRB Sevens Series win.

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