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BIG WEEK OF SUPER 8 RUGBY – LIVE ON MĀORI ACTIVE AND WHAKAATA MĀORI

BIG WEEK OF SUPER 8 RUGBY – LIVE ON MĀORI ACTIVE AND WHAKAATA MĀORI

Some of the best schoolboy rugby will be on show this weekend when the Super 8 Rugby competition kicks off with all eight teams taking the field.

Hamilton Boys’ and Tauranga Boys’ are currently at the top of the table. Hamilton Boys’ are defending Super 8 champions, after beating Napier Boys’ 56-22 in last year’s final.

All games feature reo Māori commentary from a fluent kaiako (teacher) or tauira (student) from the home kura. Non-fluent commentators are provided with a rugby kupu Māori list to assist them in introducing reo Māori to language learners. The promotion and normalisation of te reo Māori was a key priority for Whakaata Māori when it established the MĀORI ACTIVE YouTube channel.

Saturday 27 July:

1. Gisborne Boys' High School vs Hamilton Boys' High School.

Venue: Hamilton Boys’ High School.

Kick off: 12.00PM

Game broadcast on Whakaata Māori and livestreamed to MĀORI ACTIVE.

2. Tauranga Boys' College vs Hastings Boys' High School

Venue: Tauranga Boys’ College.

Kick off: 12.00PM

Livestream to MĀORI ACTIVE.

3. Napier Boys' High School vs New Plymouth Boys' High School

Venue: New Plymouth Boys’ High School

Kick off: 12.00PM

Livestream to MĀORI ACTIVE

4. Rotorua Boys’ High School vs Palmerston North Boys’ High School

Venue: Rotorua Boys’ High School

Kick off: 12.00PM

Livestream to MĀORI ACTIVE

Wednesday 31 July – ‘Polson Banner’ game:

5. Napier Boys’ High School vs Palmerston North Boys' High School

Venue: Napier Boys’ High School

Kick off: 12.15PM

Livestream to MĀORI ACTIVE

Polson Banner games draw large and very enthusiastic crowds. It is the trophy Napier Boys’ High School and Palmerston North Boys’ High School play for when the two teams meet. It is one of the oldest interschool rugby trophies in New Zealand dating back to 1904. Napier Boys’ have held the Polson Banner since 2020.

MĀORI ACTIVE is the Whakaata Māori YouTube channel where all New Zealand Sports Collective (“NZSC”) events in the 2024 calendar, including secondary school rugby, athletics, athletics, touch rugby, kī-o-rahi and many others, can be found and watched at any time.

The NZSC is an initiative aimed at promoting secondary school sports and providing schools with funding to further develop young athletes across a wide variety of sports. It is spearheaded by former Olympic rower and ex-Team NZ member Rob Waddell.

The Super 8 schools are Hamilton Boys' High School, Palmerston North Boys' High School, Tauranga Boys' College, New Plymouth Boys' High School, Rotorua Boys’ High School, Napier Boys’ High School, Hastings Boys’ High School, and Gisborne Boys’ High School.

Media are welcome to attend the games.

FULL SUPER 8 RUGBY SCHEDULE:

Date Kick-Off          Games                        Venue

Sat 3 Aug 12.00PM ` Rotorua Boys’ vs New Plymouth Boys’         New Plymouth

Sat 3 Aug 12.00PM         Hamilton Boys’ vs Hastings Boys’ Hastings Boys’

Sat 3 Aug 12.00PM         Tauranga Boys’ vs Gisborne Boys’ Gisborne Boys’

Fri 9 Aug 12.00PM         2nd XV Rugby Final         TBC

Sat 10 Aug 12.00PM         1st XV Rugby Final                 TBC

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