Rugby & Rugby 7s

MANUKURA Rugby & Rugby 7's

"If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you."

In the professional era of sports the pathways are now very clear, albeit with a narrow lens that is reflected in the drastic dropout of players entering, during and post secondary school. MANUKURA ensures that our students and whanau are connected to the many avenues of promotion in rugby and rugby league, as well as ensuring young and sometimes vulnerable whanau are educated to ensure sound decision making in this sometimes brutal edge of professional sports. 

Our History

2011 was the inaugural year for Rugby at MANUKURA (TŪ TOA). Starting with one U15 team we established a plan to infiltrate the bureaucracy and politics of local and national schoolboy rugby. Winning our respective local level competition announced our arrival, albeit some good lessons along the way against some of NZ’s premier schools. In 2012, a year wiser we won the Hurricanes U15 tournament and further proclaimed our intentions to establish ourselves as not only a strong competitor nationally, but also to provide a programme determined to not allow rugby to deny our boys the right to a quality education as well as an enriched experience culturally. Raising the academic achievement levels of boys (Maori) continues to be a strong underpinning focus of MANUKURA. MANUKURA rugby took a new turn in 2015 with the re-establishment of our programme, including the introduction of our first ever girls rugby team. With all three boys teams winning their respective grades and our girls signalling their determination to grow, MANUKURA Rugby was determined to ensure that our students could win on and off the field.

With extensive experience as a player at regional, national and international level, MANUKURA are well resourced through the employment of Kristina Sue to drive our girls rugby programme. With consecutive national top 4 placings as well as featuring strongly in the rugby 7’s arena, She continues to guide our girls rugby programme both on and off the field. More than a game, this new facet of MANUKURA reminds us of our responsibility as coaches / teachers of promoting values pertinent to sports but equally our social responsibilities. Over 30 years of coaching at secondary and representative level including some of NZ’s premier rugby schools has reinforced a belief in the need for secondary school rugby to be cognisant and explicit about the importance of balance in terms of education and sporting enjoyment.

Girl's Rugby

Girls and Womens rugby is growing rapidly in New Zealand. 2015 was the inaugural year for girls rugby where a modified 10 a-side competition was played with only 12 registered players. Since the establishment, we have continued to see an increase in participation rates and females choosing rugby as their priority sport. In less than five years, MANUKURA Girls Rugby Programme has established a reputation for being ‘one of the powerhouse programmes for girls rugby in New Zealand’ - Anna Richards (2019). MANUKURA Girls XV programme have placed consecutively at the ‘New Zealand Barbarians National 1st XV Championship’ commonly known as ‘Top 4’. MANUKURA girls sevens programme has also experienced success over recent years. In the open grade in 2018, MANUKURA placed 3rd in New Zealand and two students were named in the New Zealand Youth Sevens team who won gold at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games. Our U15s sevens team are current national sevens champions, having won the U15 Condors National Sevens Tournament in 2019. 
 
‘Rugby is more than a game and breaking new ground’ continues to be the programme motto. Our programme is principles and values driven where the aim is to not only inspire females to question and challenge societal norms but more importantly, to empower women to develop a sense of belonging and confidence. Rugby is used as a medium to uphold MANUKURA ethos. ‘Better people make better rugby players’. We have a strong emphasis in developing holistic players where education is at the forefront. Each player is guided through an individual performance plan that develops not only the technical, tactical and physical pillars of performance but also psychological and personal leadership. MANUKURA girls rugby programme continues to utilise a range of expertise regionally and nationally. Former and current Black Ferns 7s and 15s players (Sarah Hirini and Rhiarna Ferris) have contributed to the programme. Manawatu Rugby Union staff provide additional resource coaching including the support of Hurricanes and Massey University sports psychologist Luke Rowe. 

The 21st century provides new and exciting opportunities for females to play rugby professionally. New Zealand Rugby are committed to ensuring the growth and development of female rugby players and have since established a clear pathway. Our players are encouraged and supported to continue their love of rugby through playing womens and opportunities to be selected for high performance academies across the country. There is also a growing demand for female representation at governance, administration, referee and coaching levels. 
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