AusLeisure

Over 600 players and more than 3,000 fans enjoyed a new playing experience at one of the USA’s largest junior rugby tournaments, the Rhinos Rugby Stomp, thanks to unique portable junior rugby Packaposts designed by New Zealand company Packaworld International.

Hosted by the Rhinos Rugby Club on Sunday 29th January at Great Park in the city of Irvine, California, the tournament featured Under 14 age group teams from nine clubs across California.

In the USA, where many sports fields are set up for other sports, junior rugby is often played without posts. This lack of posts at junior level means that kicking is not introduced to the game until around the age of 16 or 18, when senior rugby posts could be used.

However, with the portable Packaposts capable of being transported in a small car (and making no impact on artificial turf) fields the Rhinos Rugby Stomp was able to include kicking – thus making the junior game closer to senior rugby.

Rhinos Rugby Program Director Elvis Seveali’i, a former Manu Samoa rugby star, said the free-standing inflatable Junior Rugby Packaposts brought an extra dimension to the tournament, and had massive potential to help grow grass-roots rugby in the USA.

Seveali’i explained “these are the perfect size for children. It gives the effect that they’re playing in the real game, and this will be a major factor in attracting new players to the game of rugby.”

Seveali’i said it was important for junior players to build up basic skills, create good habits and establish solid fundamentals, commenting “these posts are going to make such a difference. I think it’s a great idea.”

Seveali’i said the turnout at this year’s Rhinos Rugby Stomp had been excellent thanks to a major influx of players over the past year in the growth sport of rugby.

He added “a lot of the rugby community was there. The kids had a great time and it was fantastic to see so many supporters on what turned out to be a huge day for junior rugby in California.”

This year’s honours in the Under 14 division went to the Belmont Shore Under 14s team from Long Beach, with Irvine Rhinos, Belmont Shore Under 10s and Souths Rhinos from Santa Margarita victorious in the Under 12, Under 10 and Under 8 divisions respectively.

Packapost free-standing junior rugby posts can be inflated in seconds, stored in a small bag and transported by car, overcoming the logistical problems that clubs face when setting up and storing rugby posts or playing on artificial turf.

Designed and developed in partnership with New Zealand Rugby for those serious about making the grass-roots game more attractive for kids to play, these posts are an innovative, professional-quality product, catching the attention of rugby unions around the world.

To find out more click here to contact Packaworld International Limited via their entry in the Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory.

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