Recreational Services Club of Origin Wrap

The inaugural Recreational Services Club of Origin programme completed last Sunday 18 September with the final round at the Marist rugby club at North Harbour Domain.  Union staff opinion and feedback from clubs and spectators would confirm that this is very successful initiative introduced for clubs to maintain contact with their former junior players through their secondary school rugby years. The 10 aside concept worked well for the player numbers and was fast, structured and interesting to watch along with the three grades ensuring all players had an option to play.  The programme was very popular with the 300 or so players who participated, coaches and parents/supporters and has a great sponsor in Recreational Services providing BBQ facilities and funding support.   The weather curtailed the original start date of 31 July but was outstanding at Silverdale on 14 August to get the programme off to a great start but rain made an appearance at East Coast Bays 4 September and again at Marist but that didn’t curtail the rugby.  Generally 500 to 1000 spectators got along to the three venues to watch the rugby played in a festival spirit and mingled with many old junior rugby acquaintances.  The games were generally played in good spirit over the three events, following the schedule on time and with very good support as always from North Harbour Referees.  

This is one of the best community rugby initiatives introduced by the North Harbour Rugby Community and long may it last.  It is on par with the hugely successful Primary School Tournaments introduced in 2004.  Many thanks to the Referees Association, Silverdale, East Coat Bays and Marist rugby club staff and volunteers for hosting the events, the Manly Volunteer Fire Brigade, the Dairy Flat Pony Club and Marist junior committee who cooked the sausages as fund-raisers and to the club coaches and administrators who pulled the teams together.  A special thanks to Recreational Services for sponsoring the programme and providing the BBQ trailer for the very popular sausage sizzle for the teams. 

This concept is all about bringing together college students in a club environment, reintroducing them to both their junior rugby mates and the clubs that they used to play for, and has generated some interest in other provinces namely Counties and Wellington.   It can only be classed as a great success. "The first tournament was fantastic, but this one went up another notch" says Union Club Liaison Officer Denis Henderson "We saw both an increase in interest and another bunch of kids that are currently not involved in the game at their college - kids that could otherwise be lost to the game". This tournament is not about winning or losing, or the score - it is about putting on an afternoon for the kids to reconnect and it really hit the mark.