Rarotonga Rugby Youth Development

👉👉💥💥5am crew back on after hiatus 🙌🙌🥳 8 week challenge here we go 🕺🕺💃💃

🏋🏾🏋🏾🤸🏾‍♀️🤸🏾‍♀️LeGS for days 💥💥👉👉

loving the new machine Topshape gym 😍😍 ✅✅ just gotta eat clean 🙏😜😜. have a great week all 🥳🥳

👉💥💥🙏Mathew 8:26 “Problem Solved”

An uplifting worship this morning with our Apostolic Rarotonga Church Communìty🙏🙏. Powerful message from Papamama Pokino to theme of “problem solved” resonated strongly with our team💥💥🙌🙌; impassioned songs of praise 🎶 and overall good vibes throughout the whole service overseen by Elder Nehemia Kaina 👏👏

The prayer blessing over our team a soothing salve and our shared lunch and fellowship 👏👏🥰🥰

A real treat for the boys to meet with warriors from
Yesteryears national team 🇨🇰🇨🇰🇨🇰Teokotai Joseph who played flanker then ho**er - now head of ministry corrective services; Aporo Ruaporo who played fullback, sorry, missed the name of the other papa 🙌🙌👏👏

Was particularly heartwarming to see our fullback Tangi Eli leading song praise on the drums 🥁🥁🪘🪘 and our lock Temaeva Ngaputa on 🎥🎥🎞🎞 ensuring livestream broadcasting of this mornings worship - u guys are goals ✊🙌👏🥳🥳 Both players are students at Tereora College - great work boys, akamaroiroi - livestream of this mornings worship can be found at https://www.facebook.com/apostolicrarotonga

Bishop and Mother Pere; Elder Kaina; nga Pa Metua, Senior Elders; Maine Kamana Tangi’s mum and all the Saints - meitaki maata for embracing us this morning and the warm hospitality. We left with full hearts, souls and tummy’s, all the richer for our fellowship with you this morning🥰🥰🙏

👉✅✅✅Galatians 6:9 and let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up 🙏🙌🥳

💙💛💙💛

🥳🥳🥳Avatiu Eels Sports Club Avatiu Nikao Eels 2022 champions overcoming Tupapa Maraerenga Panthers in the Senior A finals this evening

Commiserations to the Panthers - Coach Darren, always a class act, respect for your many years coaching dedication and service 🖤💜🤍🖤💜🤍- and captain Tom Franky Browne Toa and the boys - mana ✊✊

Leki and the boys 💙💛💙💛 solid discipline, sustained intensity throughout the match - mana ✊✊coach Albert - long time coming 🙌🙌

an exciting final from start to end - extra time nerve wracking - massive learning opportunity for our U19s 🙌🙌👏👏🥳🥳🥳 in all the excitement, 19s cramps partway through 🤣🤣🤣

awesome vibe and cheering our 💙💛💙💛 supporters

Do better - Kia Arangatu!
“That’s @ #@%$!” angry outburst from 15 year old Avatiu Nikao Eels U19s player on being told today’s Grand Final for 2022 Rugby Union Season for U19s grade would be “uncontested scrums”. As Manager of Eels 19s team, who has insisted on respectful language throughout the season, while I agree, I hold my tongue - barely.
This afternoon’s grand final game was played between our Eels team and the Arorangi Bears 19s team. The match was won by the Bears – now this season’s Champions. All scrums during the grand final were uncontested.
Since this afternoon’s grand final game – we’ve been asked by a number of people – U19s players from both teams who played in the final; parents and supporters; those watching in person and online “why were the scrums uncontested? Isn’t this the grand final? haven’t Round 2 U19s games this season involved contested scrums?”
For the record, given what has already started circling online thanks to the as always efficient coconut wireless, here are the facts.
Yesterday mid-morning Friday 22 July, on the eve of the grandfinal, I received an email from the CIRU Rugby Development Manager (RDM) notifying our Eels team that scrums will be uncontested at today’s Saturday 23 July U19s grandfinal match. The reason given – to ensure player safety.
I responded to remind the RDM that:
- collective consensus had agreed at the start of the season for Round 1 to involve uncontested scrums with Round 2 through to Finals involving contested scrums
- weekly Tuesday meetings involving CIRU, coaches/managers, referees were held after each week’s match where issues/concerns were discussed and renewed consensus was reached – at this week and last week’s meeting, uncontested scrums for the finals was not raised, nor discussed
The RDM clarified:
- the call for uncontested scrums had come from the Bears coach late Thursday evening to the RDM with copy President Rarotonga Referees Assoc
- on receipt of the call from the Bears coach for uncontested scrums for the final, the RDM together with Pres. Raro Ref. Assoc decided, without consultation with others as had been the process/practice throughout this season, scrums for the grand final would be uncontested
There are multiple problems with the unilateral decision taken by CIRU RDM together with the Pres. Raro Ref. Assoc:
- it did not follow the CIRU’s own decision making processes for such considerations
- it did not follow the practice that had been applied this season
- it was delivered to our team on the eve of the grand final, preventing any opportunity for our team to make adjustments to game strategy and preparations
It is no coincidence that from Round 2, contested scrums were applied. From Round 2, our eels 19s have dominated scrummage and forward play. One need only view footage of those matches available on Polynesia Cook Islands Media (PCIM) for affirmation.
It is also no coincidence the significant improvements made by our eels 19s forward pack, in particular the front 3 – Jeremiah who turned 15 yrs today; Jordan 15yrs and Marcus 15 yrs – since the start of this season. Those improvements have come from long hours training undertaken by the players – going back to the league season which preceded this union season - at the field twice a week and in the gym, topshape 3 times a week supplemented by one on one coaching alongside pods coaching delivered by the Eels 19s coach. For Jeremiah and Jordan, the training goes back to last year’s union season, then working with the current coach.
The contest for possession of the ball is one of rugby’s key features. These contests occur in contact, general play and when play is restarted at scrums, lineouts and kick offs. The contests are balanced in such a way as to reward superior skill displayed in the preceding action.
The unilateral decision by the RDM, on the eve of the grandfinal to revert to uncontested scrums not only penalized the scrummaging skills improvements developed by our Eels forward pack, it nullified the many hours investment by our Eels players and coaching/trainer team in a forward dominating game plan for the grandfinal.
Those who have been following our Rarotonga Rugby Youth Development Journey (games can also be viewed on PCIM pg), including last year’s U19s Union Season grand final; 2 tests involving Rarotonga/Aitutaki teams playing in Rarotonga in July and Aitutaki in December 2021 would’ve been disappointed in the quality of play in today’s grandfinal match – the relegation back to uncontested scrums a significant factor. Our U19s is meant to be the feeder teams for our Premier team in the club competition – not at this rate.
Players of both teams deserved uncontested scrums in today’s match. The reasoning of player welfare rings hollow. The reality is one team had put in the scrummaging work required during pre and in-season and done the hard yards, the other had not. If we truly valued player welfare and youth development, we would’ve ensured more support to both teams from CIRU and our clubs, particularly to the Bears.
Rugby isn’t just a sport – it is character building and life empowering. Today, CIRU fell short. These young men – our young men – in both teams - along with the third team in the competition from Ngatangiia Matavera - deserve better. They deserve from all of us collectively what the International Rugby Board has identified as defining character-building characteristics of rugby - integrity, passion, solidarity, discipline and respect. Do better! Kia arangatu!

2022 u19s runners up - Avatiu Nikao Eels Avatiu Eels Sports Club

We know this is not the outcome we trained for, nor the results we wanted - but today we came up short. We had opportunities, our ex*****on at times falling short, finishing incomplete - congratulations to the Arorangi Bears 👏👏

To our captain Tupui, who won todays best and fairest award by CIRU, your leadership on and off the pitch was been stellar this season, as has been your work rate✊. Our Vice Captain Aaron, your marshalling of the backs and leadership of our activate program, a steady hand in stormy waters, too good🙏 Our fearless front row - Jeremiah 15yrs today, Jordan 15yrs and Marcus 15yrs - take a bow 👏👏👏 your determination, courage and self belief - in dominating scrummaging this season - you make us proud 🙌 our remaining loosies Johan, Maeva, Rima and Rennie - periods of outstanding plays over the season - Rennie consistently strong in line out, including when contesting🙌🙌; Johan strong carry’s and solid defence; Maeva driven intensity and go forward every game 👏👏 Rima snippets of hunting success 💥- for next season, we need as Bob Taripo said - “hunt as a pack”; Nuku at half, periods of brilliance, more work to do on directing play; on the wing, Edwin and Tupac - some scoring and tackling success this season; Nooti and Apollo some standout play in earlier games leading to scoreboard in our favour 🥳🥳; Tangi at fullback - you’ve continued to improve with positioning and decision making, watch out nxt season💥; Ephraim and William, steep learning curve for u both this season - keep training, more field time nxt season😇💥been great having u join up Nga kaore atu - onwards and upwards

For now, reflection, recuperation and renewal. as we said - we are very proud of you boys - hold your heads high. champion is a state of mind, not a scoreboard.

we’re at apostolic Avarua Church tomorrow, give praise and return thanks for his many blessings upon us this season 🙏🙏💙💛💙💛

Congratulations Arorangi Bears U19s - victorious in todays grand final. Not the result our team wanted but there it is - u19s champions for 2022🖤❤️🏆

Meitaki maata Travis for your dedication and commitment to coaching the 19s bears this season - no easy task we know from our own experience with limited player numbers, players working or at school and few prepared to help you coach and train players. 👏👏🖤❤️. You have our respect ✊

To the captain Taio and your boys - congratulations - the first round was yours, we took out the second, today was the one that mattered and you guys brought it. Enjoy the celebrations, manuia 🥳🥳🥳

23 July 2022 - Rarotonga Rugby Youth Development Grand Final Day - Pure Te Rua o te Tonga Meeting House

Avatiu Eels Sports Club

Full House Te Rua o te Tonga meeting house this morning for Senior A and U19s playing in rugby finals today at Tupapa Maraerenga Panthers and 6 netball teams playing in semi finals at Ngatangiia/ Matavera Sports & Recreation Center

Words of encouragement from 19s coach Teokotai Tuaivi, Senior A coach Albert Nicholas, Avatiu stalwart Bob Taripo, Papa Makiutu Tongia and Rev. Tangaroa Tangaroa.

“Cometh the hour - cometh the man” “Avatiu Nikao forwards legacy - hunt as a pack”

Luke 6:45 - a good man brings good out of the good stored up in his heart …. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of”

Galatians 6:9 and let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up”

💥💥💙💛💙💛✊

➡️2:30pm tomorrow Tupapa field tomorrow - we take on the Arorangi Bears 🙌🙌

💙💛💙💛 grand finals time team - this is the one that counts!

Let’s go team - Avatiu Eels Sports Club

💙💛💙💛 grandfinals baby 🙌🙌

let’s go Avatiu Eels Sports Club ✊✊

💥💥2:30pm for our U19s against Arorangi Bears

💥💥4:00pm for our Snr A against Tupapa Maraerenga Panthers

Grab your club gears guys... It's GRAND FINALS Time!!!
THIS SATURDAY 💪✊ @ VICTORIA PARK, TUPAPA

🤜11.30am - Junior Ripper Rugby
🤜1.00pm - U16's - TKV Warriors vs Arorangi Bears
🤜2.30pm - U19's - Avatiu Eels vs Arorangi Bears
🤜4:00pm - Snr A - Avatiu Eels vs Tupapa Panthers

Tupapa Maraerenga Panthers Arorangi Bears Avatiu Eels Sports Club Ngatangiia/Matavera Sea Eagles Rarotonga- Community and Beyond

$3 entry for adults - kids are free | Food Stalls Available

Game Day 💙💛💙💛 see you all at Raemaru Park