U15 Rugby

2020 Te Rahui Kura U15 Rugby Team

This year our team was made up between the 3 Kura in Ōtaki - Ōtaki College, Te Kura-ā-Iwi O Whakatupuranga Rua Mano and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Rito.

We started the pre-season with an awesome Team Management made up with our Head Coach, Clarry Enoka, Assistant Coach, Gus Housiaux, and Manager, Helena Winiata-Enoka. This was the successful trio that led the Rahui U13 team last season. Clarry and Gus were keen on keeping the team together as much as possible with the addition of more age grade players representing the 3 Kura. Albeit to say, our team this season was made up of some 12, 13 and 14 year olds, but we managed to get a full compliment of a team with numbers for subs. Things were looking promising.

Not long into pre-season training and we were hit with Covid-19, which stopped all sports and the likelihood of a competition at all was up in the air. Once we were back down to Level 2, we were able to start training and grading games could begin.

Our boys played well and were feeling their feet and trying to fit together as a team along with training hard twice a week. We were graded in Division 3 of the Wellington Sport league. There were 6 teams in our Division.

Along came a shuffle in our Coaches with Clarry moving to Head Coach, Gus as the Backs Coach and we welcomed Ed Wallace as the Forwards Coach. Thanks so much guys for your excellent coaching.

Each week the boys played with big hearts, kept their heads high, played to the conditions, the referee and the whistle. Our whānau and supporters have been just awesome throughout the season – albeit the challenges faced with going back to Covid-19 Level 2.

Generally, we feel that our little town and team have done outstandingly well when faced with the bigger colleges of Bishop Viard, Hutt Valley High School, Wellington College, St Bernard’s College, St Patrick’s College Silverstream. These colleges are huge with quite a number of full age-grade boys to choose from. And you could tell – they were certainly of some size.

We made the Semi-Finals and were sitting 3rd on the table, to play against Bishop Viard in Porirua on a windy, drizzly day. The boys had a great game but the opposition were hungry for the win and we went down 37-5. They sure were big boys on that team and they played a very physical game!

Playoff for 3rd and 4th place was against St Patrick’s Silverstream in Silverstream. A beautiful crisp day dawned. Our boys played so well, with great structure, pods, lineouts and tackles. We copped a couple of injuries that left us with 14 players on the field in the last quarter. There were a few lost opportunities and players playing out of position to cover injuries sustained in the loss the week before. The final score was a loss of 31-24. That left us in 4th place in Division 3.

To recognize the hard work that our players put in throughout the season, the tough decision had to be made for the trophy winners.

Most Valuable Player – Bronson Terry

Sportsmanship Award – Jacob Emeny

Most Improved Player – Dahrius Brown

Best Forward – Blake Manning

Best Backs – Brooklyn Shelford and Wairehu-Khan Elliott-Toman

As parents, we’d like to say that we are extremely proud of how well the Team Management put the team together, instilled discipline, heart and structure. This all showed in the way the boys played against much bigger teams and the respect that they have for their fantastic Coaches and Manager. We would like to thank you all very much, for without you all, there would not be this opportunity for our boys to play the game they love. Lastly, we’d like to thank the players – you boys rock!! Coming to trainings, being on time, the camaraderie between you all is just outstanding!

Bring on next year!!

Tracey Manning