What builds a team of dedicated Motueka College girls in this high performance, enduring, and gritty game of Rugby? This week and next we’re exploring the outstanding efforts of Motueka High School Girls Rugby.

Unless you’ve witnessed it as spectators yourself, women’s rugby game is a very different beast to the men’s game. The speed, the structure and the license given to these girls to play their own natural game provides an absolute thrilling experience from the side-line, coupled with the culture, power, comradery and bond between these young women. 

It’s beautiful to watch and be a part of something these girl’s will hold and remember forever.  These determined young women absolutely live and breathe rugby.

The celebrating the past

MHS girl’s rugby has a strong history of success, let us take you on a journey. Mark Kelly held the top job of the girls coach for eight years from 2009 to 2017.  His time at the helm was an era regarded by John Prestidge to be “the most consistently successful high school girl’s rugby team in the region.”

The team under his reign won the local Tasman Division on a number of occasions as well as the Oamaru 7s and 15s tournament. From these impressive results the team were invited to Palmerston North where they came runners up to the Gordon Tichins invitational trophy.  The girl’s team went international, travelling to Australia in 2017 where they took out the Trans-Tasman Gold Coast Rugby Tournament bringing the trophy back to Aotearoa.  They had developed a winning culture and there was no stopping them.

Not only did this team have a very talented and dedicated Coaching team they also had a busy Manager working behind the scenes in Lisa Brown who Kelly describes as “an integral and an amazingly supportive Manager;” he also added “you can’t have a good coach without the support of the Team Manager”.

For years these two worked to bring Motueka Girls Rugby through the ranks starting in 7’s Rugby due to the small number of girls coming through the sport back at the beginning to success in all formats of the game. Kelly and Brown’s last season in charge of the girls finished on a high note. Many wins, many runner’s up. What a way to end an era with a fantastic season from the girls that only a team with belief, courage and determination could achieve. Mark retired from the MHS girl’s rugby after eight incredible years of accolades.  He is well known locally as the best fella for your sausages, and a good coffee and yarn at Kelly’s.  Mark’s daughter is co-captain and half back for the Tasman FPC so keep an eye out for Hannah Kelly on the field.

As Kiwis there is no doubt the game of rugby is etched in our DNA and this is evident on a cold winter Saturday morning watching kids as young as five years old playing for their respective club teams. The skill and passion; it’s almost something these kids are born with as New Zealanders.  So let’s not forget where the passion and love for rugby begins, at grassroots level JAB (Junior All Blacks) training. 

Our region is spoilt for choice when it comes to great rugby clubs.  We have Tapawera, Murchison, Rangers, Golden Bay, Riwaka, Motueka United, Huia alongside the many unique New Zealand rugby clubs who thrive on history as well as the pride and support from their local followers. 

JAB runs between the ages of U6s to U13s and through this time the Tasman Rugby Union (TRU) are heavily involved providing skill session days, coaching support and workshops as well as assistance with training if required. It’s not uncommon to see Makos players turn up to a day’s training, set up drills and help out with the kids. The TRU promote the game in the region with the number one priority being that the kids are going out to enjoy themselves.

Steve who is a proud Motueka United coach and has been part of the club for 37 years has had many gifted and talented players especially girls come through his coaching.  He tells us “it’s great teaching the girls through their initial years of rugby.  It’s easier with the girls, they listen and take it all in”. 

Steve explains with a smile that Rose Thomas (MHS Rugby Girl) had no qualms in giving the boys a good telling off when they got out of line with their listening skills.  He prides himself in teaching them the fundamentals of skills, understanding and confidence.

Leeon Johnston another successful local coach who has been instrumental in bringing through a number of exciting young players, in particular young girls who have continued on in the woman’s game. Risaleeana Pourri-Lane, an All Blacks 7s local legend came through Huia under Leeon’s team and has just recently been chosen to represent New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.  Rhiaana Wood, Alysha Scott as well as the Ocain sisters, Sophie and Megan have all played the game at a high level in a boy’s dominant sport under Leeon’s coaching.

Johnston’s philosophy and approach to coaching is that all players are treated as part of the team regardless of where you have come from and what gender you are. The culture that Leeon and Squid are able to create in the team has the perfect balance between kid’s enjoyment and the competitive element of wanting to learn and an eagerness to win on a Saturday.

There are hundreds of volunteer coaches and managers in JAB within our region all giving up their time and energy to provide a team environment where our kids can thrive in the game they love. Without this beginning and the dedication of these people we wouldn’t be such a dominant nation in World Rugby.

Embracing the present

The 2022 Season is currently underway and this year’s Motueka High School U18 squad is fast proving that they are going to be a force to be reckoned with in the coming weeks and seasons ahead. Coaches Vai Aukafolau and Dion Iorns have both been entrusted to guide this group of girls, including the younger talent coming through this year as well as into the future.  Although this team is an U18 squad, the team encompasses all age groups in High School with new talent coming through at 13 years of age. 

The knowledge and experience passed on from the older girls is priceless and invaluable, it is also key to their future success.  MHS girl’s rugby has forged a solid reputation both regionally and nationally over the last decade.  Vai is a dedicated and committed rugby player who still finds time outside of coaching to play hooker for the senior’s week in and out. He came to New Zealand from Tonga for Rugby, and it is a game that he loves. Vai has gained so much out of rugby and you can see that he wants to give it all back to the game and the kids through his coaching. 

Dion is a local lad who grew up in Motueka.  He attended both Parklands School and Motueka High and has played for Huia for many years as a half back.  Dion trained under 6’s at Huia all the way through to under 13’s until his son Casey started college.  Dion also coaches the Division B Huia Team, which is Vai’s team. 

Vai and Dion joined forces to coach and support the 2022 MHS girls’ team and have been doing so for the last three years. Bringing our girls through the season filled with ambition for a prosperous year ahead. The relationship is nothing but symbiotic.  It works, they get each other and every week catch up over a coffee (or generally a coldie) to discuss how the next game is going to pan out.  It takes a lot of strategic planning on their part.

As mentioned previously none of this can be done without a Manager and Di Wood is busy behind the scenes organising the team.  Di, has five girl’s all of whom play rugby, in fact two of her girls are playing for MHS Girls Rugby this year.  Yes, Di is an incredible team manager, she’s dedicated and knows rugby through and through.  She is the grinding force, the essence, the backbone of every coach.  The time, dedication, not only to her own family of very remarkable rugby players, but to her team of MHS Girls is commendable.  Strong Managers are truly the best asset any team could have and Di shines in her role.

The 2022 season started with a pre-season warm up, this is also a learning exercise for the coaches.  With new players beginning it is a learning exercise for the coaches and the girls.  The girls have proven to be fast learners and so have the coaches.

Confidence is a big thing with the girls.  You find who the leaders are – those girls who can help bring out the best in the younger players, their capabilities and their growth.  The first game is not only for the girls to figure out each other but also for their coaches to figure them out and most importantly to have confidence and the capability to trust in their coaches and grow even further.

Article added: Friday 08 July 2022