When a flyer from Northland Rugby Union about a Girls Junior Rugby Club Festival day was posted up on the Mangonui JMB Rugby facebook page, a few ex-Mangonui Women’s rugby players made a few phones calls to connect with others so that this first ever opportunity could be maximised. 

Currently the Mangonui JMB Rugby competition is mixed gender which has boys and girls play alongside each other in the same teams in the open weight age grades. Unfortunately, no single club had enough girls to enter a team into the up and coming festival so the call went out to combine players, find coaches and managers, set muster dates and enter teams under a club banner.

This is how the Te Rarawa U13 Girls 7s team and the North Hokianga U11 Girls 7s team came to be formed. Not only do these two teams cater for girls already playing rugby - they also welcomed those from other sporting codes too including netball and basketball.  “Girls who already play as well as those that played other codes have jumped on this opportunity as there has been nothing offered at primary school level in the past” says Jaqi Brown, Ta Rarawa U13 Manager.

It's important with young people, for them to have a lifelong love of sport, that the opportunities, support and experiences are quality.  This festival will be an opportunity for the girls to show case their skills, play, sample an appropriate structure and most importantly connect and feel a belonging with others. 

“This is about letting the girls play, and due to not all clubs having large numbers of girls playing, it was a no-brainer to join players from other clubs so that they could experience this opportunity” says Catherine Semenoff-Murray, North Hokianga U11 Coach.

The festival coming up on Saturday 9 September will take place at Pohe Island, Whangarei with Scott Collins (NRU Womens Rugby Development Officer) taking the lead in this initiative to get more girls playing the sport.

Pictured Supplied - U13 Coach Steve Marsden have the girls completing a passing drill at training